Time and Space
by Scruff the Rat
Summary: He knew they would never forget him. They just couldn't. Family fluff; pre-established Peabody/OC; Slash
1. A New Face

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

Ears perking and nose twitching, a tiny bipedal ivory puppy wearing huge black-edged glasses looked up from his page of _The Republic _at the sound of a door opening.

"It's okay, little guy, it's okay," the familiar demure voice of Ms. Richie, the owner of the shelter and a thickset brunette woman in her late twenties, gingerly echoed in the silence of slumbering dogs, some of which woke up at a sudden new smell, the same one the bespectacled puppy caught.

A sniffle followed Ms. Richie's assurance, and perhaps a whimper? All the beagle knew, once the owner and her company turned down the corner and he finally got a look at the newcomer, was his surprise in that he hadn't fainted straight away. Before his very eyes, another puppy (a thickset black-furred Scottish terrier, in fact) walked beside the average-dressed woman —and on his hind legs just like him, no less—and wore a palm-tree laden cerise shirt that made Peabody want to roll his eyes.

_'Who on Earth gave him that article of clothing? It looks ridiculous!'_

Still, fashion sense aside, the beagle inwardly rejoiced at the prospect of having someone like him around, someone who could understand his position and relate with his aspirations. Perhaps this fellow even shared his interests! Gently setting his book down so as not to startle anyone with any sudden noise, the ivory-furred prodigy drew a polite smile as the cage next to his opened, courtesy of Ms. Richie, and the new dog stepped in with heavy steps.

Once Ms. Richie closed the cage, she leaned down to her knees and offered a sad yet hopeful smile. "It's really unfair this ended up happening to you. But you wanna know something?" She waited for the puppy to lift his watery eyes to her. "I think you and Peabody here are going to make great friends. You'll see."

And with those words, she left. Peabody was beside himself; despite his anticipation, he simply could not overlook the sniffling sounds emanating from the other dog rocking himself in an upright fetal position. He almost flinched the moment the newcomer confusedly turned his head away and landed his sight on him, amber chocolate irises meeting Peabody's green ones like earth to grass, especially when he noticed that the terrier towered over him by half a head. For a few moments, the two dogs stared at each other curiously, fascinated by the other's appearance yet unsure how to greet each other.

Eventually, the beagle tired of the silence and so hemmed to speak in his typical cultured, albeit squeaky, voice. "Hello, my name is Peabody. Hector Peabody. A pleasure to meet you," he stuck out a forepaw between the bars for the terrier to shake. "And you are...?"

For a moment, the black puppy stared at the extended paw then its owner and back, worrying Hector for a moment, before tentatively taking his paw in his own slightly larger one and shaking it. "K-Keanu Jameson," he spoke in a somewhat lower-pitched voice, tone still shaky from crying. Once their handshake ended, Keanu took his own hand back and wrapped it around his legs again.

Peabody hummed thoughtfully, head sloped in curiosity. "Keanu? Hmm, interesting name. Where are you from exactly?"

A good question to start with as proven when Keanu wiped his tears away. "Hawaii. My parents and I were visiting my uncle here until...," he turned away with downcast eyes heavy with not only sorrow this time but some anger as well,"...until bad people shot them. I've got nobody back home who'd wanna take care of me and the people here couldn't put me in an orphanage because I'm different, so they brought me here. My mommy's brother is supposed to pick me up next week, so I won't hafta worry about someone else adopting me."

Hector's ears drooped in sympathy. "Oh...I see." His heart rang out for his fellow canine with the utmost sincerity. He himself had always wished for a family of his own yet he could hardly imagine the pain of losing one he already had. Something had to be done. _'Perhaps the mood will lighten with a change in topics.'_ Peabody pushed his glasses back against his nose with a practiced smile. "Tell me, what is Hawaii like? From what I've seen in the books I've borrowed from the libraries, it's quite beautiful."

Luckily the mention of the island made a smile pop up on Keanu's muzzle. It was faint but hey it counted as progress in Peabody's book (and Peabody loved progress). "It's really pretty...and lots warmer than here, that's for sure. Mommy and Daddy would always take me down to the beach so I could play around in the water and make sandcastles all day. And when we had ta go home, we'd all get snow-cones. I always got cherry and—"

A faint snort escaped Hector before he could stop himself, making Keanu pause and stare at him weirdly. "What's so funny?"

"Oh I apologize," the white puppy assured in hopes he had not crossed a line, "It's just...you seem to be quite fond of the color red."

Keanu blushed under his thick fur and tried in vain to hide his growing smile. Something about this other puppy really drew him in and made all his troubles seem far away. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what, but he could live with that. Screwing his face up in thought, the black pup snarkily retorted, "Yeah well, I could say the same about you."

Holding back the urge to chortle again, Hector rolled his eyes in response. "Oh come now. That's just my bowtie, a part of my ensemble." He gestured to the accessory. "Perfectly appropriate. At least I don't wear the color like a traffic light!"

A look of faux offense took over Keanu's face as he threw his arms out in an exaggerated fashion. "So I like my clothes to match my personality! What's wrong with that?"

"Oh nothing, if you prefer self-branding yourself as a lost tourist."

"Why I oughta—"

Harsh barking suddenly rang out around the boys, and sure enough a glance around revealed several of the surrounding dogs either barking or glaring balefully at them, basically the canine way of saying 'Shut the freak up! We're trying to sleep here!' Hector bowed his head in meek apology, although his humored grin ruined the gesture, while Keanu blew a raspberry at his temporary neighbors, making his fellow bipedal canine chuckle under his breath. His associate finally seemed to be regaining his usual spirit.

Speaking of whom, Keanu turned to Hector with a happy grin. "Hey Hector, you wanna hang out tomorrow?"

Wait, what? Mouth going slack, Hector angled his head with a befuddled countenance, not sure if he heard right. "Hang out?"

"Yeah, hang out, you and me," affirmed Keanu, nodding as he thumbed to the pup then himself, "I like ya."

Incredible. Simply incredible. The beagle needed a moment to himself. He never had anyone associate with him, let alone freely. The dogs tended to be friendly enough and Ms. Richie showed him great amounts of kindness but never did he have anyone who _wanted _to be around him because they _liked _him.

_'Can I trust this fellow? I barely know him.' _And yet...something about this Keanu spoke to him. While he didn't seem like the intellectual type, he possessed a vivacity Peabody instantly found contagious. _'I'll let him associate with me for now. Besides, having this character around should prove quite interesting.'_

With an agreeable smile, Peabody readjusted his glasses. "I have a warm regard for you as well."


	2. Knight in Furry Armor

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

_Sirens._

_Sirens were ringing. They hurt my ears. Please stop, I silently begged, you're too loud. They keep ringing._

_I saw nothing but the dark of my eyelids and felt better that way. Anything to keep from seeing them on the floor. Still. Cold. Bleeding. _

_Please stop bleeding, Makuahine, Makuakane...you're just a little hurt. The nice people in blue will take you to a hospital. You're gonna be okay. The doctors will make you all better. Then we can see Uncle and go home, just like you promised._

_Please get up and tell me things will be okay like you always do. I want things to be okay. I wanna go home._

_Please don't leave me. I don't wanna be alone..._

"I don't wanna—GAH!"

Keanu jerked awake with a gasp, his breathing heavy and frantic and eyes misty from unshed tears. A momentary look around helped him settle down once he remembered his situation. Moving on from his parents' death was evidently going to be harder than he thought. He fell back on his sleeping bag with a frustrated sigh. _'Good, it was just a bad dream. I can't wait 'til my uncle gets me outta here.'_

His rueful reverie cut off at a sudden sound from somewhere, his pointy ears perking at it. That sounded like a bell; why was it ringing, though?

"Keanu?" The puppy in question quickly looked up to discover Peabody gazing at him worriedly...from the outside? "I was just about to wake you up. You were rolling around rather fretfully."

_'Oh, then that means he heard...oh geez,'_ the black terrier bashfully mused as he regained his composure and plastered on an easygoing smile. "N-Nah, it was nothing. I've had worse. Anyway, where ya goin', PB?"

Peabody furrowed his brows inquisitively. "PB?"

"It's mah new nickname for ya," Keanu explained, thankful that the other dog changed subjects. "It's way more fun ta say than your other name. So where did everyone go?"

Realization flashed in Peabody's eyes and the beagle clasped his hands in a joyous manner. "Ah, well you see, it's time for adoptions and I intend to be the first one there!"

_'Oh yeah, that.'_ Keanu remembered Ms. Richie mentioning last night something about him not having to worry about being taken in by someone else. Sadly, that also meant the terrier would have to stay in here until all the people left—that would probably take hours. _'Ugh, my first day and I'm already stuck at the crossroads of Boredom Central.' _With an annoyed huff, he lay back on his sleeping bag with his hands propped underneath his head. At least he had the puzzle books he brought from home days ago, even though he knew how quickly he could work through those things so the point was moot—

Hang on! Keanu's upper body shot up when a certain detail registered in his mind: Peabody _intended_ to be adopted. That meant...that meant this could very well be the last the two puppies see of each other. The thought of already having to part with a potential new friend brought a sad frown to Keanu's face and made him wilt with a faint whimper. First his parents, now Peabody. Was everyone Keanu liked or loved going to leave him in the end?

If Peabody caught onto his fellow canine's mood, he never let on, sticking to mere observation of the larger dog with a keen eye. Intuitive for his age, the beagle could tell that the possibility of him being adopted upset the other puppy...and for some reason that reciprocated the feeing in him as well. But why? They only met yesterday, let alone had only one conversation. Why feel this way over a complete stranger?

These questions did not ease the inexplicable guilt. For once, for a split second, Peabody almost considered letting no one adopt him—he shook his head free of the thought. _'Don't be absurd! You know how much you want a family of your own...and nothing or no one is going to convince you otherwise, let alone a stranger.'_

No matter how despondent or lonely that stranger looked. Peabody took in a deep breath to steel his resolve and gave his fellow dog a cursory farewell before leaving quick enough to avoid losing his nerve.

Keanu looked on with resignation at the retreating prodigy then sighed heavily and let his eyes wander to the ceiling. A shiver ran down his spine and made him huddle in his sleeping bag for warmth. Oh how he hated early spring mornings in this city. What he wouldn't give to be back home right now. He could only hope his uncle kept his house toasty this time of day; otherwise the puppy had no idea how he'd stand the cold for much longer.

Partly out of simple curiosity and partly in an attempt to take his mind off his frostbitten woes, his eyes meandered over to Peabody's cage, taking note of the small bookshelves and connected computer inside he'd been too emotionally occupied last night to notice. Just by the abode and the brief snippets of conversation, Keanu could easily conclude his cage-mate's intellectual prowess. Not that the black puppy hadn't met his share of smart-pants folks before. Peabody, though, turned out to be different; he possessed a kinder and more real intelligence, one that made Keanu feel confident in his own skills rather than inadequate.

"I wonder how he's doing anyway," the island puppy thought aloud. "Maybe he already found a home. Heck, who wouldn't wanna adopt someone like him?"

In that case, maybe he could give the beagle a proper goodbye before he left. Keanu smiled at this idea and stood up. A quick test of the door confirmed that Ms. Richie hadn't closed it last night, probably out of respect for the dog boy to avoid demeaning him.

Man, Keanu loved humans sometimes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

God, Peabody hated humans sometimes.

Even after all the amazing feats he demonstrated every time, the children here and their parents still only viewed him as a freak of nature, some unnatural _thing _beyond their understanding. Already, all five of the last children he approached either shied away from him or ran away screaming the second he uttered one syllable.

The whispered taunts behind his back only worsened his mood.

_Freakshow._

_Weirdo._

_Monster._

Clasping his hands together, Peabody closed his eyes and focused on the breathing exercises from his yoga book. He had to remain calm. He had to keep his anger in check. _'You just need to try harder,' _he assured himself in a placating manner, _'You just need to step up your game. That's all.'_

As if on cue, he noticed a young dark-skinned boy hesitantly approaching him, the child wringing his hands nervously as if unsure what to say. Peabody relieved him of the stress of breaking the ice by smiling warmly and reaching a paw out. "Hello, my name is Peabody. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The boy stared at the hand for a second before accepting it and the greeting. "Um, hi. I'm Jason. You looked like you needed some company. Would you like to play with me?"

Peabody needed all his willpower not to hop around and dance. At last, the moment he'd been yearning for so long! "Why I would be quite honored, Jason."

Words could not describe how much Peabody lit up at Jason's excited smile or at the discarded red ball the boy picked up from the ground and tossed. Peabody got down to all fours immediately. Never mind his need for dignity; he finally had the playtime he wanted. Tail happily wagging, he chased off after the flying sphere and caught it in midair. Goodness that felt wonderful! No wonder his fellow canines loved fetches so much!

For the next few minutes, Jason and Peabody were lost in their own little game, neither one feeling strange about it in the slightest. They were both having fun, and that was all that mattered.

It was not meant to last.

Picking up the ball with his mouth once more, Peabody trotted back over to Jason, tail still wagging excitedly, and returned the toy to his playmate's hand. So lost in their enjoyment, the boy and the dog never noticed the shadow approaching them. Before either of them could blink, someone suddenly snatched the ball from Jason's hand and shot it between Peabody's eyes, sending the puppy reeling back and falling on his backside with a pained yelp. When he reopened his eyes, he found himself seeing only blurs all around him.

He'd lost his glasses! Squinting his eyes desperately did nothing to help his condition; he did, however, suddenly notice an indistinct blob of color marching towards him.

"You leave my brother alone, you big freak!"

"We were just playing, Jimmy! Leave him alone!"

The brother did not heed his sibling's plea. He instead eyed the black-rimmed glasses next to the dog, whose front paws patted the ground helplessly to locate them. A cruel smirk crossed the boy's face. The lady who ran this place was supposed to be somewhere else in the yard, someplace far enough that she'd wouldn't come to the puppy's rescue in time.

_'This oughta teach that weirdo.'_

Filled with dark resolve, the boy marched towards the glasses—a familiar flash of red came whizzing by, faster than Peabody could blink. A cry rang out and suddenly the beagle's assailant fell to the ground, clutching his face in pain, while his brother stood a piece away with a look of absolute awe.

Black and red appeared in Peabody's view, one that had the puppy gasping in recognition. Even without his glasses, there was no mistaking those colors, and he could tell from the shouting around him alone how much the situation was escalating. The fact that the newcomer had barged into the middle of it—and all to help him, a total stranger, no less— only heightened his worries.

"YEAH, NOT FUN WHEN IT'S HAPPENIN' TA YOU, AIN'T IT?!" Keanu snarled at the petrified child, who crawled back for every step the dog marched forward, "MAYBE NEXT TIME YOU'LL RUB THOSE TWO BRAIN CELLS OF YOURS TOGETHER AND THINK BEFORE YA—"

"_Keanu Jameson, Hector Peabody, _my office, _now._"

Everyone went stone cold at the authoritative—and livid—tone. Only two words rang out in the two puppies' mind:

_'Uh oh.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ms. Richie was a simple woman with minimalist tastes, a trait others noticed with just one look at her clothes and the way she carried herself. As far as she was concerned, all she needed in life was her health and her animal shelter. And as Peabody and Keanu sat in their oversized chairs, awaiting punishment, the latter could not help but inwardly marvel at how similar tastes he and the head honcho of this place shared on account of the sparse decorations of her office.

Unfortunately, judging by how displeased the small woman appeared, Keanu knew he and his kind-of-friend were in for a world of trouble.

The brunette closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm very disappointed in both of you. When I started this shelter years ago, my intention was equal treatment to anyone who stayed or stepped foot here, regardless of species. Not only did you assault a child, Keanu, you also left me with damage control that could cost me my job _and _the dogs here their chance for a home, you and Peabody included."

Keanu's eyes went wide at the last part. He recognized the consequences falling atop his own head yet all he could focus on was how he screwed up the smaller dog beside him. _'I...but I don't want Peabody ta get sent to another shelter. I was just tryin' to help him!'_

"M-Miss Richie! I can explain! I...I..."

All the while, Peabody regarded the terrier's distraught guilty state with deep concern. While he also understood there would be no escaping discipline and that he ought to be upset at Keanu for possibly ruining his chances for adoption, he instead felt obligated to say something in his acquaintance's defense. After all, not even Miss Richie ever stood up for him the way Keanu just did, so it felt only fair Peabody return the favor.

The beagle held up his hand. "Ms. Richie, if I may intrude, while Keanu's actions were indeed rash, he did not act without noble reason. You see—"

Miss Richie stopped both pups with a raised hand. "I know, Peabody," she gently interjected. "And I'm proud of him."

Both dogs stared at her as if she'd just morphed into a cat. They could not believe what they'd just heard.

The brunette could not help giggling at their gobsmacked countenances. "I'm serious. While I don't approve of how you handled the situation, Keanu, part of me actually cheered you on. I can't tell you how many times I had to come to Peabody's rescue just because someone refused to treat him fairly." She rubbed her fingers against her forehead in frustration, sighing once more.

"Makes ya wish everyone went for the whole 'equal treatment' spiel, huh?" Keanu blurted out, offering her a sympathetic smile. Peabody shot him an alarmed look, unsure of how Miss Richie would react to the colloquial question.

"Oh, you have no idea," Ms. Richie wearily chuckled under her breath. "That being said, I'll still have to keep you two on lockdown for a while. At least that way, you'll be able to lay low until the heat dies down."

Peabody and Keanu shared a look. As bummed out as they were at the shelter owner's words, they were thankful being confined to their cages would be their only punishment. Besides, Miss Richie made a valid point; they'd be much better off staying out of sight for the time being.

"Thank you, ma'am. We'll depart to our cages immediately," Peabody assured her just as he hopped out of his chair.

Ms. Richie nodded agreeably. "Glad to hear it. Oh and Keanu..." The addressed puppy acknowledged her just as he began to follow Peabody out into the hallway. The beagle was out of earshot at this point. "Keep 'im close, okay?"

With a goofy grin, Keanu gave her a crisp salute. "Yes, ma'am! Yo, PB, wait up!"

Watching the terrier charge out of her office, the owner shook her head with a bemused sigh. "Something in my gut tells me those two are in for one crazy life together."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Later that night, Hector Peabody lay wide awake in his kennel, the events from earlier barring him from sleep.

After returning to their living spaces, they'd spent the rest of the day playing games on Peabody's computer and in general getting to know each other, the occasional wit sneaking in. Ms. Richie even showed up shortly after their talk in her office to check Peabody for any bruising. And yet all the while, Keanu's heroic actions lingered at the back of the prodigy's head.

_'No one besides Ms. Richie ever stood up for me before, let alone so strongly.'_ The beagle gazed from his spot on the thin mattress, Keanu's back to him. A pang of guilt pierced Peabody's heart. _'I never thanked him for what he did...and yet he never brought it up.'_

That's what struck him the most: Keanu wanted no thanks, no reward. He only did what he did because it was the right thing to do. Peabody curled into a fetal position at his own thanklessness. The white puppy normally did not like the idea of being in debt to others since hardly anyone ever stuck their necks out for him, so Keanu's kindness left him in a rare bout of uncertainty.

There had to be a way to repay—

"Can't sleep either?"

Peabody nearly jumped at the voice despite its softness. Subtly regaining his composure, he coolly regarded the ebony puppy who had turned over so they were facing each other. The prodigy tried not to marvel at how the russet of Keanu's irises shimmered in the dark. The beagle looked away for a moment. "I've had a great deal to think about"—he returned his sight to the other dog—"and thank you. For what you did this morning, I mean."

A noncommittal hum echoed in Keanu's throat as a faint smile crossed the terrier's muzzle. He offered no verbal response; there was no need to. Peabody could see the words in those big orange eyes: _'Don't mention it.'_

Something warm started to worm deep inside Peabody at that smile...not the feeling that he'd finally found a home but certainly something the beagle wished would keep him company for the rest of his days.

For the first time, Peabody wondered if he'd made his first true friend.


	3. From the Heart

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

When Peabody woke up the fourth day after Keanu's arrival, it was to the sound of sniffling. After rubbing the sleep from his eyes and putting his glasses on, he noticed the terrier sniffling in the corner of his own cage, staring down at something in his hands. For lack of better words to say, Peabody forced out an awkward "Good morning."

Keanu stiffened for a second before turning around and noticing his friend's concerned gaze. He hastily wiped a few tears away. "Oh, heh, morning, PB. Sorry if I woke ya."

The beagle waved a dismissive paw. "My circadian rhythm ends around this time anyway. So, is there anything you would like to do today? I'm free to any suggestion you like." Considering the terrier looked to be in need of a serious cheering up.

For the next few moments, Keanu fiddled with what Peabody realized to be a photo, lost for words due to his current emotional state. The terrier exhaled when he noticed his friend's inquisitive look at his hands. "I'm sorry I'm gloomy today, PB. My parents and I came here ta celebrate my birthday with my uncle," he softly voiced. "He's always so busy and never has enough time to visit us. We were planning on surprising him."

A few tears escaped Keanu as the unspoken truth weighed upon his shoulders, making them slump. Another reminder to what he'd lost.

Peabody cursed both the kennel bars and his own short arms for his inability to reach through and (dare he admit it?) hug this despondent soul. This was the sort of situation he would have anticipated for an owner, not another dog, so the beagle needed a few moments to think it over. He could build a fully functioning rocket in under five minutes, once formulated a plausible cure to the common cure in one day, but this was a whole other kettle of kibble!

_'Think Peabody, think!' _he mentally urged, paw on his chin, _'What does one do for someone's birthday?'_

Then it struck him.

As if on cue, Ms. Richie came around giving the dogs their daily breakfast (except for Peabody and Keanu, of course, since she would let them out and have breakfast with her since both puppies preferred human food). The moment she came around to Peabody and Keanu, the former raised his hand like a student asking for a teacher's attention.

"Pardon, Ms. Richie. Could I speak with you in private for a moment?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Keanu could not believe his eyes!

He'd seen gorgeous jungles and oceans back at Hawaii, plains and mountains on the plane he and his parents took to come here, and artificial forests at the park near the shelter, but this...this was...pretty fantastic! All around him and his two friends, trees of all sorts flourished amongst a bountiful meadow, a wooden trail running the area's perimeter while a massive lake shimmered in the distance under the midday sun and peaceful cloudy sky.

"Wow," the terrier whispered in awe.

Miss Richie nodded in a smug manner, hands akimbo, at the furry child's reaction. "Yeah, that's pretty much what all the out-of-towners to Wave Hill say."

An agreeing 'mm hmm' sounded out from Peabody as he put a hand on his fellow pooch's shoulder while the other gestured to the scenery and visitors. "Indeed, it was somewhat of a challenge to find a good spot here on such short notice, but luckily Ms. Richie has connections with certain staff members here."

Keanu hummed to himself in thought then turned to Peabody, flattered yet confused. "So...we're here because...?"

Ms. Richie suddenly tousled the fur on top of his head. "You, silly. Who else?"

The terrier could not believe his ears! His head reeled back in utter amazement. "M-me!? I mean, not that I don't appreciate it, but still—"

"Well, we certainly weren't going to let you spend your birthday indoors moping," the shelter owner kindly retorted, "not after Peabody told me how much you'd been looking forward to celebrating it with your family."

The aforementioned beagle struggled in vain to hide his blush, as well as ignore Keanu's surprised and deeply touched gaze on him. _'I thought we promised not to mention names.'_

"You did that," Keanu put a paw to his own chest, "for me?"

Though not one to shy away from the limelight thanks to the attention brought about by his inventions, Peabody found himself fidgeting an awful lot under the larger dog's gaze. What was it about Keanu that made him feel so...so flustered? "Yes, well, I...felt it only fair to repay you for what you did the other day—not that I'm not doing this out of the kindness of my heart! I merely wished to—"

Whatever else Peabody intended to say died on his tongue when Keanu scooped him up into a strong firm hug, the terrier's coarse fur warm and soft against his cheek. Physical contact was not a norm for the beagle due to his fear of abuse, a direct result of children mistreating him back at the shelter. Even Ms. Richie knew better than to go anywhere beyond a handshake, so Peabody's stupor in this case was understandable.

So imagine his further amazement when Keanu whispered in his ear, "Thank you."

That did it.

_Thank you._

No one, _no one_, had ever said that to Peabody. Not the children, not the adults, not even Miss Richie (even though she never meant anything by it)—no words could describe how deep Peabody's feelings ran this very moment...and all because of this strange impulsive puppy boy from someplace faraway. In a rare moment of pure emotion, Peabody returned the hug back, vaguely aware of his tail happily wagging back and forth as well as Miss Richie looking upon the scene with adoration.

Alas, every hug has to come to an end, and with Peabody being the non-touchy-feely type, now was as good a time as any. "Um, Keanu, you can release me now."

The terrier obeyed without hesitation, setting the smaller puppy down and his own hands behind his back, sheepishly grinning. "Heh, sorry."

Peabody chuckled. "No that's quite alright. And you're welcome, by the way."

"Okay!" Ms. Richie cheered, clapping her hands. "Well, getting to coo at you two furry angels has worked up _my_ appetite. Why don't we get this picnic started?"

The picnic turned out to be positively scrumptious! Though Ms. Richie had been in charge of organizing the food selection, Peabody proved an invaluable asset thanks to his growing knowledge of fine cuisine. The two of them wanted to give Keanu the best birthday they could offer him, and were not afraid to go all out just to see him smile.

Afterwards, the trio returned to New York City to visit the local aquarium as a means to curb Keanu's homesickness for his native land. Needless to say, it worked for the terrier spent the whole visit there telling Peabody and Ms. Richie about all the fishes he recognized from back home. In return, the prodigy and shelter owner pointed out fish they knew themselves, answering whatever questions Keanu asked all the while.

Keanu suddenly curled his lip in disgust and pointed at a spiny thickset fish floating a piece above them. "Eww, one of _those _things!"

Peabody looked at the specimen his friend pointed out and chuckled at the terrier's reaction. "Ah yes, the pufferfish, a species well known for both its inflationary capabilities and its deadly toxins. Many a shark have made the fatal error of attempting a bite out of these notorious fellows."

_'Don't remind me,' _Keanu thought, gripping his own throat as if afraid the fish in question would hop out and lodge itself down his throat next. Fortunately, his fear diminished at the sight of another familiar fish. A mischievous grin crossed his muzzle. "Hey PB," he gently elbowed the beagle then pointed to a small black and yellow fish, "bet ya can't name that one."

"Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, the official state fish of Hawaii," the prodigy stated without missing a beat, his pronunciation flawless. He resisted the urge to laugh at the comical glare on his friend's face, choosing instead to pat the larger dog's shoulder in jest. No need to rub victory in, after all. "Keep trying, Keanu. Perhaps someday you'll come close to besting me."

The beagle earned himself a playful noogie for that comment.

And last but not least, the group paid a visit to Barnes and Noble, where Keanu got to have free pick of whatever books he liked (within budget, of course). In the end, he turned out with such an armful of sketchbooks and how-to books on drawing that Ms. Richie wondered how fast the terrier would fill up all those pages.

"Are you sure the...kid's gonna use all those?" the cashier asked after the trio bought their items and arrived at the register, the man taken back by the sight of two talking dogs, much less ones that behaved like kids.

Ms. Richie merely shrugged, tousling Keanu's head fur. "Artists, what can ya do?"

All in all, Keanu's birthday turned out to be the most fun any of the trio ever had!

By early evening, the group had returned to the shelter, Ms. Richie back at her office catching up on work and bills while Peabody and Keanu stayed up in their kennels, figuring out ways to pass the time until bed. At one point during a moment when the two boys were doing their own thing, out of the corner of his eye Peabody noticed a face on a sketchbook page Keanu was working on; his interest piqued once he recognized the subject.

_'Is that...me? My word, the textures are almost lifelike! Keanu has quite a talent for this!'_

"Pretty nice likeness, huh?"

Peabody snapped out of his reverie once he noticed the terrier's knowing gaze and smirk. He hurriedly broke eye contact and tried to refocus on the rocket schematics he'd been working on. To no avail, as evidenced by a certain someone's finger prodding his side. With an angry snort, he batted the offending digit away.

Keanu chuckled indulgently in response. Messing with the beagle was just too fun to resist sometimes, another difference that set apart the genius from the other smarty-pants types the Hawaiian met in his life.

"It's really easy to draw you when you get like that—all focused and stuff on your inventions and books. Gotta be honest, I've got no idea how you can pull off being so smart and good at so much without exploding"—he tilted his head with a pensive frown, memories of the fetch fiasco flashing back—"Or how you could want a home when you can get way more than that. You'd go a lot of places with that big brain, adopted or not."

It was true. Peabody could indeed go to great heights thanks to his intellect, the whole world his oyster as he wowed academic communities and beyond with countless accomplishments and creations, his name a household one as audiences all around the world praised his work without tire or end and educational institutions made good use of his research, theories, and discoveries. He would be nothing short of phenomenal.

That was the problem.

"Keanu...," the beagle sighed, still not facing the other pup, "while I appreciate the sentiment, I assure you; my skills are not something I hold fondness for nor a reason to envy me." Because what good did smarts prove when they drove others away from you like a hideous birth defect? He gazed down at his hands with self-loathing. "They're the reason I continually fail to find a home. If I were a normal dog—"

"But you're not," Keanu interrupted in a childishly firm tone of voice. "You're you. That's all you can be, just like my mom would always say. Besides, who says you won't find a family someday? I'm nowhere _near_ as smart as you, and I had parents who loved me for me, and I know my uncle will love me, too. That's gotta mean something good in _your_ case."

Peabody despondently shook his head, baffled by the terrier's ongoing optimism...and torn by it as well. Because the hardest part: he truly wanted to believe Keanu. Those words that held more conviction than any professor could ever hope to have, those citrus eyes that glowed as though they held all the answers to the future, both continually quelled any and all counterarguments the beagle's mind could engender.

After everything Peabody experienced, could the lonely pup dare risk more of the open hurt hope always brought him?

Unfortunately (or fortunately) for the ivory canine, Keanu was not the type to give up on his friends. Acting on a whim, the terrier stood up, marched out of his kennel, and then let himself into Peabody's cage without even asking the other dog's permission, leaving Peabody speechless at best, especially when the terrier suddenly scooped him into another bear hug. The beagle rolled his eyes in resignation, wondering if some unexplained force (namely Miss Richie) set up a hug quota for him.

_'I'll have to become accustomed to these shows of affection, won't I?' _Not that any of the hugs from Keanu had been awful. A faint smile appeared on Peabody's snout. _'I suppose I can learn to live with that part of him.'_

"I can love ya, if ya want."

Green-iris eyes went wide. Breath caught in a slender throat. Peabody did not hear that. He did _not _just hear that. The arms holding him tightened.

"I mean it," Keanu continued, his voice so low that the other dog almost couldn't hear him. "I could ask my uncle to adopt you. Nobody would ever hurt you again, not with me around. You could be as brainy as you want and be happy, too."

_'No, don't cry...don't cry!'_ Peabody could hear his mind demanding him, _'He's only acting in the heat of the moment. You saw how he acted his first day here. You two still barely know each other! Besides, you're both too different! There's no way you two could stand by each other's side for so long.'_

"I'd like to," he found himself uttering aloud. It was true. Though they hadn't been in each other's lives for long, Peabody could no longer bear the idea of Keanu leaving without tears brimming in his eyes. This strange, overemotional puppy had pushed him to do what he only thought he would do for his owners.

Perhaps...perhaps Peabody needed no owner. Perhaps he needed no home...because it was already here, clothed in ebony fur and tacky red polyester.

His friend.

His very first friend in forever.

Peabody returned the hug with as much strength as possible, eyes closed tight from the effort.

_'No, this is not someone I shall let go of easily.'_


	4. Whatever May Come

**N/A: For those curious as to why I haven't been doing author's notes until now, it's just that I haven't felt the need to add any up to this point.**

**Now that I am, though, I'd like to set something straight: the slash will not be coming, let alone starting, until Peabody and Jameson are teenagers. That is all.**

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

When young Peabody woke up the next morning, he felt warmer than usual...much, _much _warmer.

Perhaps the happiness from befriending Keanu last night had lingered in the beagle overnight, keeping him comfortably toasty from the inside out.

_'Heh, wishful thinking at best.' _Even in his half-awake state, Peabody had to chuckle dismissively at the thought. Such sentiments were steadily becoming more typical of him—probably another side-effect brought about by the red-shirted terrier. _'Oh well, I'd best wake Keanu up before Ms. Richie comes along to take us out for breakfast. From what little I've seen, he seems to be quite the heavy—'_

Peabody's thoughts cut off at a sudden strange 'feeling'. He tensed immediately, his glassless eyes narrowing.

Something was off..._way _off.

His blanket, while not luxuriously thick, always managed to keep him warm during the night...except now it felt _heavier _than usual...bulkier as well. In fact, now that the beagle thought about it more, he couldn't recall so much of the blanket ending up bunched against his back or wound so tightly around his waist.

_'Why do I get the feeling I'm in for an unpleasant surprise?' _After a deep breath to steel his resolve, Peabody gingerly extended his left foot on a scouting mission.

Contact came in seconds.

Unless he spontaneously morphed in slumber, Peabody swore he did not have three legs last time he checked. Lo behold, though, there it was, kicking like a spastic ball on a Newton's Cradle. With all the delicacy of someone about to disable a landmine, Peabody slowly retrieved his glasses from their red case on the ground and perched them on his nose. The world came back into focus the same time his eyes landed on Keanu's kennel.

Keanu's _empty _kennel.

_'Oh dear.'_

**_SNNRRRKKK!_**

Yep, that snore definitely came from behind him..._close _behind him. Peabody dared a peek over his shoulder, and blushed immediately.

Okay, this was not embarrassing. Apparently, Keanu ended up asleep on top of him sometime last night, arms wrapped tight around the smaller puppy's body as if Peabody were a teddy bear (or teddy dog in this case). The beagle motioned to wake the terrier up before the other dogs or (God forbid) Ms. Richie saw them in this position...until he noticed the faint yet content smile.

Ever since his arrival, Keanu had been plagued by nightmares of his parents' death, the poor youth tossing and turning while mumbling incoherent words that sounded awfully close like whimpering and begging, Peabody having to comfort him since Ms. Richie always went to bed after lights out and also because the terrier worried about being a burden on the woman.

This time, Keanu appeared as serene as the ocean surface on a calm summer day, not a care in the world; and looking down at the arms that held him, Peabody finally remembered: _I can love ya, if ya want._

Even in his sleep, the islander held steadfast to his promise. How could Peabody not return that content little smile? He shifted around in Keanu's arms without waking him so that they were face to face and the beagle could wrap his arms around his friend in return. Settling in to Keanu's soothing heartbeat, Peabody closed his eyes and fell back sleep.

_'It's still rather early. I'll awaken him later.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Peabody's next awakening did _not _go as well. Apparently, not only did Keanu snore, he also had a bad habit of drooling—so just exactly Peabody's luck to have been under the larger dog's dripping mouth at the same time.

"Bleck," the ivory pooch scoffed in disgust as he tried his best to remove the oral residue from his fur with the light-blue towel Ms. Richie lent him a long time ago. He and Keanu were standing in front of the shelter's laundry machine, neither canine willing to look each other in the eye.

"I said I was sorry," the terrier mumbled in a sincerely apologetic tone that matched his drooping ears, taking a mental note to sleep further away from his friend in the future lest this incident repeat. Hopefully Peabody wouldn't hold this accident against him.

Though still miffed at what happened, Peabody released a petulant sigh and offered Keanu a weary half-smile. "Well, there are worse bodily substances with which you could have drenched me, I suppose. My blanket and towel direly needed a wash soon anyway."

Keanu's pointed ears perked back up the same time his face did as if to ask _'So no hard feelings?'_

"Although," Peabody continued, not overlooking with any small amount of amusement how endearing his friend looked right now, "I can't say this accident of ours has 'wet' my appetite for breakfast." Oh, the baffled stare Keanu gave him was worthwhile! Peabody resisted the urge to fall to the ground in laughter; he stuck to simply going 'hmm, hmm' behind his hand.

"Oh!" Keanu exclaimed once he caught onto the pun, eyes bright in understanding. He started laughing uproariously for a few moments, doubling over and slapping his knees—only to stop, straighten back up, and give his friend that same confused stare, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't get it."

Peabody rolled his eyes before loading his blanket and towel into the dirty-clothes hamper next to the machine and walking off to breakfast. Keanu was quick to follow. For the next few minutes, the two dogs walked together in comfortable silence, the barking of their neighbors barely echoing from whence the pair came. It was only the two pups, the hallway, and the alluring smell of food.

Eventually, Keanu noticed Peabody opening his mouth as if to speak only to close it as if in second thought. Just what did the prodigy have to say?

"Penny for yer thoughts, PB?"

"Hmm?" Peabody started, nudged out of his reverie by the question. "Oh it's nothing, I assure you."

Keanu leaned down to look him more in the eyes. "You looked like you were thinking pretty hard for a bunch of 'nothing'."

For a moment, Peabody considered shrugging the terrier off and resuming his silence, only for a pang of guilt pierced him as his reward. Keanu didn't deserve such cold treatment, and besides, if Peabody put off the issue that was bugging him, he'd only regret it later on somehow. Sighing heavily and pausing his steps, Keanu following suit, the beagle let his detached facade melt and regarded his friend with a nervous glance.

"What you said last night...about persuading your uncle to adopt me? Did you really mean it?" Because he just had to know. Peabody _needed_ to know. Needed assurance that disproved his doubts and affirmed that the other dog's promise had not merely been in the heat of the moment. Indeed, as Keanu stood there staring at him with widened eyes, evidently taken back by the question, Peabody felt his fears being reinforced by the silence.

Soon enough, though, he found himself in another hug, this one as smothering as the last...except something was different. Perhaps it lay in the way Keanu gingerly nuzzled his nose into the top of Peabody's head or the firm fiery gaze the beagle found himself in after Keanu pulled back at arm's length.

All Peabody knew was that as soon as Keanu spoke the following words, his doubts dissipated into oblivion.

"I never go back on a promise."

For the next few moments, the two puppies stood there in the middle of the hallway, one awestruck and speechless and the other certain and smiling. At last, Peabody tentatively stepped out of Keanu's hold, already missing the sense of security that went away yet not wanting to give Ms. Richie a reason to hunt them down.

Clearing his throat, the beagle fixed Keanu with appreciative eyes. "Just so you know, I'll be holding you to that."

He got a gentle fist-nudge in his cheek for a response. "Whatever ya say, PB."

A furry white finger playfully poked Keanu in the sternum in return. "Correct: whatever _I _say. Now come along so we can eat and _not _have to go through a tedious lecture on the benefits of punctuality."

That conversation out of the way, the pair finally arrived at the kitchen, where Ms. Richie could be seen standing over a skillet full of sizzling bacon. Turning around to tend to the bagels just in time to see the boys arrive, she set her hands akimbo and gave a teasing smirk. "Well, it's about time you guys woke up! I would've done it myself, but the two of you were simply too cute to just jerk awake, so I decided to let you both sleep in."

Wait a minute, then she saw them—Peabody moaned and rubbed his eyes in irritation. _'Lovely, just lovely.'_

The shelter owner waved the puppy's chagrin off in an assuring manner. "Oh relax, I won't tell anyone." Although she _had _taken a few pictures for future blackmail (not that the kids needed to know that). "Besides, it's perfectly healthy that you two are comfortable enough with each other to spend the night together. It proves how much you've come to trust one another."

Goodness, the boys hadn't even thought of that. Now that it'd been brought to their attention, why deny something so wonderful? Eyes wide at first, Peabody and Keanu shared an understanding smile before redirecting their eyes back to Ms. Richie.

"I believe I speak for both of us, ma'am," Peabody spoke out amiably, hands behind his back, "when I state you are not far off the mark. By the way, I have some news I'd like to share after breakfast."

That last sentence earned the prodigy raised eyebrows from not only Ms. Richie but Keanu as well, even though they decided to let Peabody be on the matter until then. Still, their curiosity nagged at the back of their heads all throughout breakfast. What sort of news could Peabody have for them?

Fortunately, their wait did not take long for as soon as breakfast was all gone and the dishes were in the sink, they all sat back down in their seats with Ms. Richie and Keanu waiting attentively for whatever the white puppy had in store for them. Clearing this throat, Peabody set his hands on the table and announced in his strongest voice,

"I'd like for Keanu's uncle to adopt me."

Nobody reacted at first, everyone except Peabody blank-faced. The beagle looked around and frowned worriedly at the ensuing quiet. _'Had I chosen an inappropriate time to tell them?'_

Peabody got an answer the instance Keanu grabbed him and wildly twirled about the kitchen with him, the terrier loudly cheering "yes" over and over while the smaller puppy, on the other hand, could not exactly share in the enthusiasm since he had his focus on keeping his breakfast where it belonged. Luckily, Keanu's cheer-fest ended as suddenly as it started with the terrier setting him back down. Peabody needed a few moments to reorient himself (which in his case meant clinging to the refrigerator) lest he pass out on the linoleum floor.

_'Someone really needs to teach this fellow some restraint.' _Regardless, Peabody managed to return Keanu's ecstatic countenance with a pleased smile. He figured his friend would take the news well. He also noticed Ms. Richie still sitting at the table, shaking her head in amusement at them.

"Well, I can't say Keanu has a problem with the idea." Her face fell into a serious expression. "I'm not too sure about his uncle, though. From what the authorities and Keanu told me, he's a pretty busy guy. He sounds nice enough and may have enough money to support you both, but he won't have so much time to spend with you. Are you sure you'll be able to handle that, Peabody?"

One glance at Keanu and his supportive nod and Peabody knew right then and there. He faced the shelter owner with a confident grin that someday the whole world would know for years to come.

"Yes, Ms. Richie. I'm absolutely positive."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Keanu Jameson has plenty of flaws. He'd be the first to say so. This was one of them: he was an open book. He couldn't hide his feelings to save his life. Yeah, sometimes he used confidence or jokes to divert others' attention, but that method was superficial at best. Bottom line: he would always have his emotions at the forefront. And no matter how much he'd practice, he remained as readable as a slogan on a Las Vegas billboard.

So by junior year of high school, he finally came to full terms with his innate candidness. It took a load off his shoulders; he always hated lying anyway.

Getting called out on his emotions still sucked, though. Like when he spotted Hector—good ol' PB—sitting by himself at the coffee shop on the beagle's last day before he began his first travels overseas. It amazed Keanu how someone so brilliant and capable could seem vulnerable by just sitting alone in an empty seat with no one nearby. Or maybe that was just the terrier's overactive imagination at work again. Either way, he couldn't help but feel a sense of finality as he watched the smaller dog read—

"Yes, this old book again."

Keanu started at the direct statement. Hector never even looked up, and before the terrier could get a word in—

"How did I know?" The prodigy paused to chuckle amusedly. "Because I know you so well."

With a somewhat annoyed huff, Keanu crossed his arms over his slightly chiseled chest. "Actually, I was about to ask how you were, but since your smartass-ness is at its usual high today, my question is pretty much moot. Thanks for spoiling my thoughtfulness."

At this point, Hector finally lifted his eyes to his longtime friend and (among other things) roommate. Perhaps that quip _had _been a bit rude and uncalled for. He offered a conciliatory smile as Keanu sat down next to him. "My apologies; I only intended to lighten the mood. You seemed terribly pensive when you entered the building."

For the umpteenth time in his life, Keanu thanked genetics for blessing him with fur that hid blushes (although Hector probably deduced their presence anyway) and took to playing with the bendy straw of Hector's half-done strawberry shake while his friend returned to his book.

One...two...three moments of silence and neither dog broke it.

_You can't avoid this forever, ya know._

_'Shut up, conscious,' _Keanu mentally griped. He did not need the reminder; why else would he come here besides wanting to get in as much time with Hector as possible before—his thoughts instantly shutdown when another tail batted gently against his, almost stroking it. The Hawaiian native felt his goofy grin return involuntarily, his heart fluttering at the message behind the affectionate gesture: _I still remember._

Their first home together, as Keanu promised, had been with his uncle, a good man of character and business but someone who always had more work on his plate than he knew what to do with. Thankfully, the two dogs had each other and stayed friends even as Peabody passed through the grades at literal lightning speed. No matter how busy the beagle was, he always found time to play with Keanu and feel like the child he never thought he'd be.

As is the case with growing up, however, their time together became more limited after Hector entered college. While he naturally soared through his pre-college classes thanks to Harvard's placement test and aced his junior college and university courses, there quickly came obligations to meet the higher the beagle climbed the academic ladder. For that reason, it was only when he began his humanitarian work for the world did the beagle start to slow down since he also didn't want to leave behind Keanu, who had barely started high school at the time, not with all the hardships they both knew the terrier could not yet handle on his own, least of all what their family therapist diagnosed during their preteen years.

Though his uncle tried his best, Keanu found more of a constant presence in Hector, including after the beagle graduated from Harvard and moved on up in the world. Even when unable to physically see each other, Keanu and Hector found ways to stay in touch. They each made friends and connections of their own (no mistake about that), but they always clung to each other the closest.

_'Cupid sure didn't make those times we were apart easy, though,' _Keanu admitted with a light scoff.

Indeed not; though the two dogs had always been close, Keanu discovered that his feelings for Hector ran deeper than friendship once the former hit high school and the latter left for the university. At first, he disregarded the warm flutters in his chest as those of him missing a friend. After all, they'd always been together, a team, so it was only natural he'd feel that way.

Then the nightmares started. The same kind that haunted him as a puppy...only worse.

Gunshots.

Screaming.

Blood. Torrents and torrents of blood that ran down like red rain.

His parents.

His uncle.

Ms. Richie.

His friends from high school.

Hector. Always Hector. Always at the end, staring back through wide blank eyes as his distraught friend held his limp body and failed to stem his own sordid cries.

Keanu had held the images back as best as he could, pretending everything was fine with the world with a gleaming quivering grin until people noticed. In the end he had to embrace therapy with open arms, arms full of burns and bruises he could never remember, and struggle to keep up with a future soaring miles ahead of him.

God, he hated being himself during that time.

_I used to be so smart. Now look at me._

_You _are_ still smart. Mixed bipolar disorder has nothing to do with your intelligence, and neither does PTSD. You just need time to do things at your own pace._

Good ol' Ms. Richie, still saying what matters after all this time. Her surprise visit with him brought up his spirits greatly yet turned out to be a precursor to who else would come to see Keanu that day.

Hector.

From what Ms. Richie told him, that dog literally tore out of his dissertation, the one that would have cemented his academic career and beyond, the moment he caught wind of what happened and rushed over like a maniac! Goodness, Keanu could not remember the last time PB stared at him with such lividness!

And amongst the countless alternations between relieved whispering and growling lectures, the terrier laying silently in sterile linen realized something: those nightmares weren't about his parents or the people who shot them. They were never about literal wounds or dying.

_I was afraid of PB never coming back. No, I was afraid of PB never coming back to _me.

Hector's phone calls increased from one per day to three afterwards. How that dog _still _managed to handle him on top of everything else, Keanu still wondered to this day. Not that you'd ever hear any complaints from the terrier. Granted, he wished his ailments had been kinder to him; all the same, he could not deny that they helped confirm his deepest hope.

Hector would not leave him behind. The beagle's continual presence at the high school events proved so.

His emotions for Keanu, in contrast, ended up requiring a bit more kick.

Their first kiss had been on Keanu's last day of high school, that incident coming about through sheer accident as a result of Keanu's clumsiness and Hector's lack of defenses at the time. Hector only meant to congratulate his friend with a handshake, not end up with a heavier dog sandwiching him to the polished wooden floor in front of all those people. How mortifying it had been, having so many stare at them with a myriad of reactions ranging from awe to disgust to shock to even some whispers along the lines of 'About time' and 'Well, I can't say I'm surprised.'

Plus, it hurt, as in seriously _physically_ hurt. Teeth-marks and slobber abound. To this day, Hector swore his lips _still _throbbed from that incident.

It had been the second most amazing moment of both their lives so far—and they'd been together ever since. Peabody requested the change in their relationship mainly out of (in his own words) "necessity", a means of keeping a close eye on Keanu and his behavioral patterns for safety reasons.

_The one time I could see right through you, PB._

Their first _time _had been last year, the day before Christmas Eve. Keanu finally returned home days earlier from the hospital after another depressive episode, his uncle and Peabody understandably relieved at what did not happen (yet almost did) because of it.

_I don't think I wanted to die, but even I could tell I still needed help._

Immediately after hearing Keanu admit this painful truth, right then and there, Hector Peabody grasped something even more painful: the fact that he could not bear existing without him. Keanu brought a certain light that no one, not even Peabody himself, could emulate.

_You make me smile...and I will be damned if I let you die without a fight._

Yes, Hector wanted that bearer of shine to remain with him always, even unto death. Perhaps this did not count as true love, but for a dog with no true origin and another dog stripped of his origin, it was enough. Hence why they finally shed their vulnerabilities together into the open and, ahem...let nature take the wheel.

_That _had been the most amazing moment for them so far.

Now there was this, this new division to take place. God, Keanu hated it. He hated it with all his heart. But he also knew this was what Peabody wanted, and how could he ever stand in the way of his lover's aspirations? After all, Keanu still had a couple of courses to finish for his Computer Information Systems degree, and there remained the matter of his interest in graphic designing since that had been his goal since high school, even though he had a bit of a head-start himself thanks to all his AP exams.

Besides now that the terrier had his own apartment (due to Peabody finally moving out) and part-time job in addition to the medication and therapy sessions to fall back on, Hector had no reason to remain in the United States. It was time for the prodigy to go onto bigger and better horizons.

Keanu wiped away a stray tear. _'C'mon, you gotta be happy for your PB here. He's gonna do a crapload of good for the world and here you are, getting all weepy like a little kid. You've done okay without him before; just gotta keep your head up...right?'_

Right. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, only to suddenly feel a soft hand stroke his right bicep through the fabric of his dark-grey jacket. No need to turn to know who. He could recognize his mate's smell from miles away.

"I'll come back to you."

A single nod met this whispered assurance. "I know. You always keep your promises, just like me. You'll still change. You'll have to if you're gonna make something of yourself, PB. But I know I'm gonna be proud of whoever you become—as long you don't go conquering the world, of course," Keanu forced out a chuckle. "Just...in case you ever _do _move on, just don't forget me...'kay?"

They shared a tender nuzzle.

"You have my word."


	5. Someday Soon

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

A full-grown bipedal white beagle in familiar apparel—a red bowtie and black-rimmed glasses—looked over his shoulder at a boy with flame-like red hair and glasses that both mirrored his own style.

"Oh, and Sherman...," he spoke in a deep cultured voice.

The boy regarded his adoptive father with a head tilt. "Yes, Mr. Peabody?"

"Be sure to get ready after Penny leaves. We'll have to go soon ourselves."

Sherman nodded just before his canine father left. When he turned to face his friend, Penny, though, he saw curiosity etched upon the blue-eyed blonde's face. The young girl tilted her head, eyeing the ginger-headed boy with heavy interest. The two kids had been sitting around in Sherman's room discussing ideas for topics to do for a school project, and just managed to finish the outline before Mr. Peabody came to notify them of the upcoming arrival of Penny's father.

"Go? Are you guys taking another trip on the WABAC?" To be honest, the Peterson girl doubted that possibility since Mr. Peabody and Sherman only took the machine for a spin on the weekends, a means of keeping Sherman from shirking his school assignments even though the boy was already a high-achiever at his age. However, she had taken note over the couple of months following the start of her and Sherman's friendship how often the boy and his father would take leave shortly after her—not every day, mind you, just enough to be noticeable. And if not back in time, then where?

She knew better than to be nosey; her mother taught her better than that, but Patty had also taught her that if there's something making you worry for someone you care about, it's best to just put that concern on the table rather than sweep it under the rug. In fact, when Sherman shook his head, Penny couldn't help but notice the hesitancy in her friend's eyes. Something was definitely bothering the boy.

"We're just going to visit someone," the boy replied in a casual tone.

Penny smiled. "Oh okay. Who?"

At this point, Sherman started to look highly uncomfortable by the questioning, evident by the way he rubbed one hand against his other arm and began avoiding eye contact with his friend. Penny let her face soften in guilt and put a hand on her friend's shoulder, feeling as if she'd gone too far. She gently guided her friend to the hallway and walked with him so she could leave before she said anything else wrong.

"I'm sorry. It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it. I was just—"

"No, I think it's okay if you know. I trust you." Sherman smiled assuredly at her. Penny smiled back, even while trying to ignore the pang of guilt at memories of her and the boy's first encounter. How did she manage to befriend someone so kind? "We're visiting my Dad."

Penny paused her steps and blinked, her hand off her friend and her face as blank as her thoughts. Eyes shifting side to side as if looking for the punchline for a joke she didn't understand, the blonde pointed a finger to Sherman. "But...you already have a Dad."

"I have two Dads," Sherman stated matter-of-factly with two raised fingers, even though Penny's bemused look did not lessen. The auburn shrugged. "I just don't wanna upset Mr. Peabody. He gets kind of sensitive when it comes to—"

"Sherman."

Both kids went stark still then hesitantly turned around. There stood Peabody, nonchalant as ever, although you could never really tell with this guy's emotions sometimes. Sherman gulped, already knowing he'd messed up, but before he speak, the beagle held a hand up to stop him.

"Don't bother apologizing. I figured it would only be natural you would confide in Miss Penny our arrangements with St. Canard Hospital."

_'Hospital?'_ Penny wondered, starting to feel a little worried. Was Sherman or Mr. Peabody ill?

Catching onto the girl's train of thought, Peabody smiled at her assuredly. "Not to worry, this is just a routine visit. My partner has to be under surveillance while his doctor oversees the effects of the medication."

Relaxing, Penny nodded to show she understood. That still didn't stop a thousand more questions from tumbling around in her head. "Wow. I never even knew you were married. I've never seen you wear a ring."

The beagle merely chuckled at the valid observation, somewhat wistful. "Yes, well, unfortunately the two of us had to put our plans of matrimony on hold due to his mental disorder."

Mental disorder: Penny knew exactly what that term meant. She'd heard her father use it once before, when he and his wife had been discussing the best time to visit one of Penny's aunts, who sounded to the girl to have something called depression. Though not worldly yet, the girl gleaned enough about mental disorders from the Internet to understand they were anything but fun. Plus, the fact that that same reason is why Peabody wasn't married to the love of his life right now made it hard not to feel sorry for the beagle.

"Your husband—it's okay to call him that, right?" At Peabody's agreeing nod, she continued. "Is he doing alright?"

Sherman looked to his father as well, apparently just as anxious to know the answer.

Mr. Peabody sighed, eyes meditative. "Well, it's been a while, but from what the doctor has seen and told me so far, Mr. Jameson may be fit enough to leave next week. Now then, I believe it's time for us to go. Keanu positively hates waiting. If you'd like to come join us, Penny, you'll have to ask your father permission when he gets here."

Penny nodded, eager to see this third unspoken member of Sherman's family. "Okay, Mr. Peabody. Just one more question: what kind of name is Keanu?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

St. Canard was your standard hospital for the most part. Two huge brown and blue main buildings and a few smaller ones of identical hues interspersed around, behind, and in between, recreational areas dotted with trees here and there in the middle.

Mr. Peabody, Sherman, and Penny entered one of the smaller buildings, stopping before glass double doors where the beagle pressed a black button on an adjacent wall, keeping his finger there while he spoke into the intercom. "Hello, we are here to visit Patient B1959."

A moment later, an unlocking sound emitted from the doors, which Peabody opened immediately afterwards and stepped through, the kids in stride. The main lobby was considerably large—white ceiling, beige walls, and teal carpeting—and contained two couches, some chairs with cabinets full of magazines in between each of them, and an aquarium arranged in a circle in the corner away from the door. The group came to a stop before a window where a ginger-skinned woman could be seen typing away on a computer. Noticing the visitors, she paused in her work and gave them a polite smile before handing Peabody a clipboard that contained a sign-in sheet.

"Ah, Mr. Peabody, Sherman. Just on time as usual. I'll have someone open the door for you."

"Thank you, Julianna," the beagle smiled in gratitude as he wrote in his name then handed her back the paper and clipboard. After he and the children sauntered through a pair of doors on the other side of the lobby, they passed down a hallway with walls laden with nature pictures containing motivational quotes until they reached another set of double doors, except these were wooden and appeared to be locked.

After waiting a few seconds, a staff member let them in from inside. The main room of the ward reminded Penny of a stretched-out living room, only it had larger windows, more tables than one to accommodate for the number of patients, and a few televisions which made sense to her. It wouldn't help for the patients to start fighting over the channels.

"So Mr. Jameson is a dog, too, right?" That's what Mr. Peabody said on the ride here, and judging by the few people not dressed in scrubs either sitting or standing around talking, she could tell none of them were who the beagle and Sherman were looking for. "What does he look like?"

As if on cue, random off-key singing sprang out from a hallway from just across the room. "I don't know you, and you don't know me! It's the same sunrise, we all just look to the sky!"

Penny tried not to flinch at the end when the male voice went high and dragged out on the word "sky". Sherman shot his friend an empathetic grin; his other parent's bad vocals took him a while to adjust to as well. Soon enough, a black terrier in a red Hawaiian shirt full of palm trees and a head taller than Mr. Peabody danced his way into the room, an IPod in hand and two earbuds blocking out the sounds of everything (and everyone) else.

Peabody could only perk an eyebrow, hardly surprised. _'Well, at least he's in good spirits.'_

If only the same could be said for the "audience." Indeed some of the other patients and even nurses were already pulling out earplugs, apparently used to the routine cacophony. Deciding to show everybody some mercy, he marched up to the gyrating dog-man and promptly tore off the buds from his pointed ears.

That got the terrier's attention instantly. Jameson spun around to face the beagle with a pout. "Hey! I was listening to that!"

"I know," Peabody flatly countered, "I also know being subject to your vocal work is a fate worse than death. I'm amazed years of exposure to it hasn't landed _me_ in the hospital yet."

"PB!" Mr. Jameson whined like a child being told to go to bed, arms slumping in an exaggerated fashion. "You know I can't live without my music!"

"Not unless you somehow developed the ability to gain sustenance from it."

"Hey, you do the same thing with knowledge!" Jameson countered, crossing his arms, "I don't see how that's fair."

Peabody wished he didn't view eye-rolling as juvenile nowadays; Jameson _really_ made him want to right now. "That's because knowledge is _power_, not _food_! Do you even hear yourself sometimes?"

Jameson struck a modeler's pose. "Yes, I do and I sound gorgeous."

The kids and even some of the nurses and other patients observed as the spitfire argument raged on; at least they couldn't say they weren't entertained. Penny leaned over to Sherman, smirking in amusement. "I can see why you visit this guy."

"That's why I can't wait for him to get out next week," he whispered back, "He's been here off and on ever since Mr. Peabody adopted me."

Penny's eyes widened in shock, head reeling back. "_That_ long?"

The same tentative look she saw before returned to Sherman's face. "Yeah, I know he loves me and Mr. Peabody but I don't think he feels that way about himself sometimes. Still..." A faint yet genuine smile took over. "He's trying his best to get better; he only wants to be home with us again. I just know he's gonna make it."

Penny returned the smile, impressed by her friend's optimism.

By this time, Mr. Peabody and Mr. Jameson were wrapping up their "conversation" with a tender hug that managed to lift Peabody off his feet (not that the beagle minded, already used to the other dog's overly ecstatic embraces).

"I've missed you, buddy." There was no mistaking the sincerity in Jameson's words. "I've really, _really _missed you."

Peabody tightened his hold. "And I you."

Pulling back, the two dogs shared a moment of staring into each other's eyes before Jameson eventually broke eye contact and finally took note of Sherman and Penny, namely the latter.

"And just who is this sharp-looking lady?" He elbowed Peabody in the ribs. "Don't tell me Sherman's already ripping off your Rudolph Valentino routine."

Oh, well then. Penny instantly collapsed to the floor laughing her guts out! Sherman on the other hand jumped back a foot, blushing and sputtering, "W-What?! No, she's not—I mean, sure, I really like her, but—"

Mr. Jameson, chortling heartily at the children's reactions, walked up to Sherman and slapped a hand onto the young man's shoulder. "Aw, just messin' with ya! Come 'ere!"

He scooped the child into a hug, Sherman forgetting his embarrassment and returning the gesture with a laugh. Once he put his kid down, the terrier turned his downward gaze to Penny, who returned his curious look with interest, hands akimbo.

"So _you're _Mr. Jameson. Didn't think you'd be so big."

Jameson narrowed his eyes almost challengingly. "Well then, we're even, missy, cause from what Sherman told me, I didn't think you'd be so small."

"Keanu...," Peabody spoke in a warning tone, brain able to recount the number of times his partner got himself and everyone around him (mainly Peabody) in trouble because of his big mouth. He was afraid his mate's comment might offend the girl.

On the contrary, Penny hummed to herself thoughtfully, giving Sherman a piercing stare that made the boy flinch. She wasn't mad or insulted; she was, however, feeling rather devious. "Oh really? Then tell me, Mr. Jameson, what _has_ Sherman told you about me?"

"Well, I probably shouldn't say." The ebony terrier stroked the moustache-like ends of his muzzle in mock contemplation, noting out of the corner of his eye with no small amount of amusement Sherman's wide-eyed look of panic. "After all, who would know better about Sherman's opinion than Sherman himself?"

Okay, forget panic. Sherman would have liked to melt into the floor right now.

"Alright Keanu, that's quite enough," Peabody interjected, though not without enjoyment in his tone as well, as he put a hand on his partner's broad shoulder, not overlooking Sherman's sigh of sheer relief. The prodigy gestured his free paw to a nearby sofa. "Now then, what's say we take this conversation to someplace more comfortable?"

A smirk crossed Mr. Jameson's muzzle; Peabody shot a subtle glare his way to prevent any lewd innuendo the terrier had in mind—until a warm genuine smile flashed in Mr. Jameson's toothy grin, assuring the beagle of no malice or harm intended. The prodigy sighed through his nose with a shake of his head and a grin full of 'what-am-I-going-to-do-with-you'. Taking the terrier's forepaw in his own, the beagle led the group to the sofa where Jameson sat on his left and Sherman on his right, Penny on the larger dog's left.

Mr. Peabody and Mr. Jameson—_Hector and Keanu_ spent the next few moments simply staring into each other's eyes once more, just like when they first met so long ago. So much had happened to them since then, some of it when they'd been apart much to the pair's heartache.

Peabody's adoption, high school, college, Sherman, the WABAC...the illness.

As if on autopilot, Keanu's thumb absently stroked the back of Hector's hand, having long missed the softness of these small dainty paws. Just how many crazy and amazing feats did these hands accomplish in his absence? _'Damn it, how much have I missed because of this?'_

"Have they been treating you well?"

Keanu jerked out of his reverie with wide eyes at his mate's voice, thankful for the umpteenth time for having fur both deep and dark enough to hide his blush. Thankfully Peabody did not call him out on his absentmindedness; he instead tenderly patted Keanu's face, chuckling. _'Geez, how many times does this guy need to make me blush like an idiot?'_ Damn this impossibly cute and sexy little bastard. Oh well, might as well set his worries to rest, Keanu decided as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Eh, they've been treating me well. I think they know you'd come down on 'em harder than Heartless on a Keyblader if they hadn't been."

Peabody smirked at that comment, expecting such an answer from his goofball.

Sherman chuckled, but then noticed Penny's face twisting in sheer confusion. "Mr. Jameson's a real big fan of Kingdom Hearts," he explained.

Still confusion on Penny's face. Sherman shifted his eyes to and fro awkwardly in response. "It's a videogame. Disney and Final Fantasy?"

No luck. Penny still looked lost as heck.

Mr. Jameson did not look any better. If anything, judging by his twitching eyelid and slack jaw, he seemed ready to start a mass riot right then and there. Repeatedly. With forks and bottle rockets and Gummi Worms. Like at the New Years' Party of '98.

Pushing back memories of_ that _forsaken incident, Peabody quickly placated his mate with a peck on the cheek and a gentle backrub. Jameson's eye stopped its twitching at least; now he only looked moderately miffed.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Peabody grinned good-naturedly at the blonde child, who'd been spooked by the larger dog's unnerving reaction. "You'll have to forgive him," Peabody gently assured Penny, "he's awfully sensitive about that game series. He's followed it since the original's release back in 2002. Fan loyalty, you see."

When realization finally flashed in her eyes, Penny relaxed and shrugged at Mr. Jameson sheepishly. "Oh, I see now. Sorry, Mr. Jameson. I play a lot of videogames, but I don't really stay up to date on them."

Calming down himself, the terrier huffed out contemplatively. "Eh, no big; you didn't know. Gotta say, though, you're really missing out if you're not aware of KH, of all things." He then turned to his son with a serious expression. "Sherman, you still got all those copies in your room right? The ones I gave ya? You better show this little lady the meaning of having a strong heart."

Penny swore Sherman was going to laugh at that strange command, but instead the ginger saluted as if accepting the orders of a general. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, though there was no hiding her entertained grin. _'Looks like Mr. Peabody's not the only one Sherman got a lot of quirks from.'_

This was in no way out of meanness or spite, not like before she got to know Sherman. Actually, as the conversation continued on, she found herself already being drawn by Mr. Jameson's friendly nature and could clearly see through his interactions with Mr. Peabody and Sherman how much he loved them.

But then sympathy found its way into her mood, a faint frown growing on her face. _'I hope he gets to come home next week. It sounds like he really missed out on a lot from being cooped up in here.'_

Indeed, if she could read Mr. Peabody's thoughts this instant, she'd realize how shared her sentiments were.

Even as he joked around (puns and all) and smiled with his family, in the back of his mind the ivory canine bitterly reflected on the interludes when Mr. Jameson could come home for a set period of time, only for his medications to bring him back here.

Each of those times felt like a slap to the face.

Yet none of them could ever compare to that _one _time.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Midnight shone millions of stars against its ebony expanse yet only its darkness managed to filter in through the blinds and into the room that lay still as death in spite of the two warm bodies lying in bed._

_"I wish you wouldn't have to leave, even though this is for the best," a smooth dignified voice spoke._

_"I don't like this either, but it's either this or watching you lose that kid," a second voice replied, slightly deeper and more coarse, "You can't have both of us, so better you end up with the one who's got a better chance of staying."_

_"You mustn't speak like that," the first voice insisted in a firm tone. "We'll find a way through this. I only need to—"_

_"Let me go." _

_Silence followed, tense palpable silence. _

_"We both know they'll find any reason they can to take Sherman away, and we both know the kind of hell couples like us have gone through for even just marriage—and they're all human, for God's sake."_

_"Then let them know." A growl, albeit a faint one, had entered the speaker's tone. "I'm not afraid to show my love for my family. Are you?"_

_A scoff pierced the air. "Like hell I am. That's why I gotta do this. And not just for Sherman. You know I've had to deal with this for most of my life."_

_"Your bipolar disorder, I know. Not to mention your PTSD. They're all I've managed to diagnose, however. As far as can I tell, your mind is in perfect condition otherwise."_

_Sighing entered the air. There was no such thing as perfect in a crazy world like this, they both knew that. _

_"I don't wanna leave you two behind. It'll kill me. But I can't risk getting our kid hurt cuz of what I might do." He refrained from adding "or worse", knowing what affect that part would have on the beagle. "Once I've found a way to nip it in the bud, I **will **come back. You can count on it."_

_"Then promise me this at least. Don't forget us."_

_A kiss passed in the dark._

_"You got it."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Peabody willed himself not to cry at the memory. '_Not here. Not where Keanu and the children and everyone else can see.'_

Yet he could not truly bring himself to fault his emotions. Peabody merely wanted the love of his life back permanently, only wanted his family to be whole once again. He and Sherman were happy with what and who they already had, but it could be better, much better.

So deep in his melancholy, the beagle nearly jumped at the sudden feel of a moist nose in the crook of his neck. He didn't need to turn his head to know the culprit's identity_. 'And really, out in public?' _he thought in annoyance. _'There _is_ such a thing as being too comfortable.'_

Being who he was, Peabody took the gesture of affection with infinite grace, doing nothing in response beyond adjusting Keanu's snout so that it didn't touch a pleasure spot and made the beagle moan aloud. Keanu, on the other hand, was _not _the graceful type—or at least not the type to take things _with _grace.

"Ugh, PB," he moaned like a two-year old once more, "why can't you let me have a little fun?"

"Because while I am accustomed to and appreciate being the center of attention, I'd rather our more intimate moments be kept private."

"Hmph," Keanu huffed, "Fine, but just so you know, if I have to wait any longer than a week to come home, I'm starting a revolution."

Typical Jameson warning, Peabody mused. "You are a full-grown adult, love. You should know patience is a virtue"—he took a cursory peek over his shoulder—"Speaking of patience, it appears the nurses are ushering out visitors. Come along, Sherman, Penny, it's time we took our leave as well."

Sherman hugged his taller father, biting back the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye. "Bye, Keanu."

The terrier's muscled arms returned the hug, just as torn about the upcoming departure. "See ya later, kid."

Penny opted for holding her hand out since she was a friend of the family. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Jameson."

"And it was nice being exposed to you and your firecracker ways, Miss Penny," Keanu returned with a hearty handshake, smirking when the blonde snorted at the comment.

And for Peabody...

They paused, the two dogs facing each other at a standstill. Keanu opened his mouth to speak until his partner suddenly had him in a brief yet intense kiss that the terrier swore the beagle timed perfectly so that no one besides Penny or Sherman would catch it.

Parting away simultaneously, they caught each other's gazes.

Deep green irises spoke volumes.

_I love you._

Amber russet happily echoed.

_I love you, too._

Words spoken, Peabody departed, Sherman and Penny in tow. All by his lonesome now, Keanu Jameson could only sigh.

The big day could not come soon enough.


	6. Back Home

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

Today turned out to be bleary, mostly because of the rainstorm from last night. As a result, the air felt muggy, not pleasant when you're in clothes and only worse when you're covered in fur.

For that reason, Keanu Jameson stared out of a tall window of the hallway that connected the main hub for patients to the rest of the hospital's treatment facility, purple yo-yo in hand and waiting for his family to pick him up today. On account of the weather, there would probably be a delay.

_'Just what I needed to start my day,' _Jameson sarcastically ruminated amongst lazily executed figure-eights. _'At least the sky looks nice from the storm.' _

In fact, he rather liked when the weather got like this, thanks in no small part to the legends his mother shared with him before she died. Ever since puppyhood, he would pretend the weather resulted from the sky's emotions and therefore rained whenever the heavens wanted to cry their stress away.

_'Man can I relate...'_

Jameson lowered his gaze to the expansive brown and black suitcases that housed all his belongings before giving a wistful sigh through his nose. God, it was going to feel great being back home. If only Hector would get here already, though.

Almost as if on autopilot, Keanu pocketed his yo-yo then pulled out his IPod and earplugs from one of his suitcases and shuffled through the music list to find a song that would help him pass the time—or at least take his mind off of the future.

"Half Life" by Imogen Heap?

Eh, why not? After selecting the song, Jameson mumbled along with the soft-spoken lyrics, trying not to tear up when the female vocalist came to a particularly relatable and heartstring-tugging line: _You know you'll never be alone, you know you'll always be loved, and maybe you'll never need more than that._

_'Yeah, probably should've picked something a little happier.'_

Fortunately, the song came to an end soon enough. _Un_fortunately, the next shuffled song turned out to be "Still" by Ben Folds. Facepalming proved inevitable.

_'Damn it. How come most of my good songs are sad ones?' _Keanu mused with a sniffle, only half-heartedly frustrated with the emotions of anxiety and hope the song invoked in him. The more he listened to the lyrics flowing out of Ben Folds' rich melodic voice like a babbling brook, the more he could not help but wonder about the future.

Would Peabody and Sherman be truly happy to have him back home?

They certainly seemed eager for his return during their visits. But what if they were only being nice? What if all these visits had been nothing beyond a chore for them?

No. No, of course not. They loved him too much to think that. Then again, that didn't mean they necessarily enjoyed having to come to this hospital. Keanu couldn't really blame them; as accommodating as the nurses here had been and nice as it also had been finding people to relate to here, being here for longer than necessary just rankled the terrier.

Every patient he'd become acquainted with had come and gone the moment their time to leave arrived.

_'Now it's my turn...and I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll be the last time I ever see these walls.'_

Christina Perri's "Human" came next. Though just as soft-spoken as Imogen Heap, this woman's voice and lyrics carried a resignation partnered with firm self-assurance, a mood more positive for the emotions. Closing his eyes, Mr. Jameson took a deep breath and spoke in unison with Christina.

"I can do it, I'll get through it...," he put a hand to his chest. "But I'm only human, and I crash and I burn down..."

In his mind's eye, he no longer stood in the hospital, let alone anywhere on Earth. Thousands of worlds passed by in the endless black at the speed of light, their colors and shapes of indescribable variety too blurry to make out in the interstellar rush, while iridescent dots of light flashed around like a storm of ethereal fireflies. And at the end, a glimmer of light continually winked in and out of sight as if teasing the viewer to come follow it.

The light dots abruptly shot towards the glimmer and converged upon it in a brilliant flash of white that flooded the whole scene.

Once the white cleared, the scene had taken on a drastic change: a shimmering white-sandy beach laden with gorgeous palm trees, verdant leavings swaying in the breeze, and bordered by a vast deep cerulean ocean that reflected the tangerine glow of the setting sun. One could practically feel the warm softness of the sand beneath their toes and the cool gentle breeze against their cheek.

A hand covered in black fur took its pointer finger and thumb and positioned them over the sun so that they appeared to be pinching the vanishing star in place, preventing it and its loving warmth from leaving...

Back in the real world, a pair of sinewy arms suddenly wrapped around Jameson's waist from behind, small delicate hands massaging his pudgy stomach with practiced finesse and eliciting a faint growl from the terrier. A wry smile crossed Jameson's face. Usually he hated being interrupted during his "daydreams" since they were his "me-time".

For a certain prodigy, though, he could make an exception. He removed his earbuds before addressing his partner with a teasing glance over the shoulder. "Kinda late, aren't ya? I was startin' ta worry you wouldn't show up 'til a thousand years later."

Jameson felt a petite chest bounce against his back from laughter. Peabody shook his head with a smirk of his own. "Keanu, my dear, you should know by now: I'm never late."

"Oh my apologies, Doctor Who," the ebony canine responded with a chuckling snort as he swiveled around in Peabody's grasp and returned the embrace with his own muscled arms, "I forgot not everybody lacks access to their own TARDIS. Now then, where's the tiny red carriage to take me back to the castle, my prince?"

Instead of responding with another quip, Peabody released and stepped back from his mate, picking up one of the suitcases by the handle with strength that belied his size and stature, and gestured his head toward the exit. "Considering your amount of luggage, I had to ask Paul for a ride instead. And I refuse to resort to cabs," the beagle twisted his face in disgust, "those vehicles are lice breeding grounds on wheels. We'll be picking up Sherman from school before heading home, by the way, so the back seats may become crowded."

Jameson shrugged indifferently. As long as he got to see his son's face light up at having both parents at home again (hopefully for good this time), they could be driving in a tin can for all he cared. With a grunt, the terrier picked up his other suitcase and walked out of the room alongside Peabody, waving goodbye to the folks at the front desk on the way out.

The moment the canine couple stepped outside, Keanu took a deep breath, taking in the misty air, eyes absorbing the hazy halo of Sun whose light curtained down from the fraying holes of sullen grey rainclouds. "I've done this tons of times before, but this one feels like the one, Hector. I just know it is."

Mr. Peabody wrapped his free hand around Mr. Jameson's. He knew also. Once they got to the parking lot, the terrier noticed a medium blue Audi RS6 Avant waiting for them along with a tall fair-skinned man with short, combed-back black hair and in a navy dress jacket and pants with a white undershirt patiently waiting beside it.

Once the man noticed the pair coming his way, his face took on a genuine smile. "Hey, Peabody! There you are! So where's—" Paul paused mid-sentence once he finally noticed the other dog accompanying the beagle, as well as the suitcases between the two canines. Jameson smiled nervously to cloak the inner anxiety eating away at him, assuring himself, _praying to himself, _that Peabody's friend will react well.

Jolting himself out of his stupor, Paul cleared his throat and awkwardly offered a handshake. It was quite clear the man was greatly taken back at the identity of his friend's partner. "Ahem, you must be Mr. Jameson. I'm Paul. Peabody's said a lot of good things about you."

Feeling just as awkward, Jameson accepted the gesture after catching Peabody's encouraging nod. "Uh, cool. I mean, heh," he managed a shy smile. "I'm glad my greatness hasn't receded into the annals of history. Name's Keanu Jameson, by the way. Just call me Keanu. PB's told me a lot about you and your family, too, just so you know."

Paul held back a snort and offered Peabody an interested look. "PB?"

This time, Peabody shuffled embarrassedly. "Um, yes well, Mr. Jameson has a penchant for pet-names. Anyway, we best be going. Sherman and Penny should be waiting for us by now."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Paul and Keanu hit it off immediately.

Peabody wasn't sure whether to categorize that as a relief or an annoyance.

On one side, he was both relieved and thankful Paul had warmed up to Keanu so quickly and easily. At least now, there would be no unnecessary drama or tension like with Sherman and Penny.

On the other hand, Keanu had also been blurting to Penny's father facts about Peabody that the prodigy would've gladly preferred to keep under wraps—preferably until after the ivory pooch's funeral. Unfortunately, of the many aspects of the Hawaiian dog that had changed over the years, his inability to keep a secret did not count as one of them.

"I'm serious!" Keanu exclaimed in between chuckles from the backseat where he and Peabody sat. "That pink goo took forever to take outta of our fur. We looked like a pair of mutant cotton candy wads. Even to this day, the teacher _still_ won't stop harping me about it. Count yourself lucky that Mrs. Sirius doesn't keep tabs on her students or student-teachers after graduation, Peababy."

The white beagle seated next to him resisted the urge to roll his emerald eyes. Oh yes, he remembered that day too, mainly because he had been a teaching assistant as part of one of his countless degrees, making that class the only one he ever shared with Keanu (and for good reason apparently). Let's just say the professor never paired the two dogs up ever again.

"Forgive me if I contradict your confidence, but I don't recall that fiasco coming about from anything on _my _part. In fact, _I _followed the professor's instructions precisely. _You_ were the one gallivanting through the chemicals by playing mix-and-match with the solution. Thank Providence the result only injured our pride."

Keanu waved a dismissive hand, snorting. "Eh, I still say we rocked the class that day."

"Oh yes," Peabody sarcastically replied, "we practically had the whole school shaking from the tremors of that fiasco."

Paul in the meantime tried to keep his focus on the road amidst his attempts of keeping his laughing fit under control. Jiminy Cricket, he knew Peabody had class and style but add Jameson and his brand of liveliness to the mix and you had one heck of a party on your hands!

_'Geez, these two are a riot! We really need to invite this guy over some time! Actually...' _Paul glanced at Keanu from the back-view mirror. "Say K. Me and Patty plan to have dinner at the Olive Garden this weekend. If you want, you and Peabody can join us. We'll have a friend of mine look after the kids while we're gone."

Jameson and Peabody shared a contemplative look, surprised at the offer. Well now, they never expected an invitation together so soon. While Jameson was an extrovert and Peabody served well as a party-pleaser, the couple had been sure integrating their relationship with the new friends Peabody had made would prove more difficult.

_'Perhaps we've merely exaggerated our concerns,' _thought the prodigy. Smiling in appreciation at the invitation, Peabody opened his mouth to answer—

"I don't know."

Peabody stared at Keanu in shock, taken back by not only the terrier's meek tone but also his uneasy—almost frightful—expression. The beagle placed a hand on his mate's in concern, eyebrows furrowed. "Keanu?"

"It's just," the other dog suddenly stammered, trying to cover up his strange behavior with bravado, "I, uh...I...I just don't feel comfortable."

Paul's countenance softened in sympathy. "Oh, well that'll be alright. You and Peabody don't _have _to join us this weekend. We can get together some other time if that's what you'd prefer."

To Peabody's relief, Keanu's response consisted of an appreciative and (more importantly) sincere smile and nod. Regardless, at the back of his mind, the beagle could not help but wonder at the other dog's earlier trepidation. _'What could be ailing him?'_

His careworn thoughts cut off at the sight of a familiar towering crimson building and the shocks of red and yellow that stood out perfectly against the throes of departing students like traffic lights. Once the kids noticed Paul's car and hopped aboard, Sherman started talking up a storm as usual, happily chatting both his parents' ears off, Penny adding her two cents every now and then of course.

Not that Peabody and Jameson minded, especially the latter. The terrier thanked all the deities he knew about that he could have little moments like this with his son. _Their _son.

Keanu Jameson bit his lip at the tears escaping him.

He'd never forget the day he and Sherman first met.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_He blinked at the baby._

_The baby blinked back at him._

_Neither one said anything or moved a muscle. _

_It was hard to tell at this point if the pair had entered a battle of wills, let alone who was winning. Jameson only hoped he'd get to keep his soul in the end._

_Meanwhile Peabody rubbed his eyes and wearily sighed through his nose at the pair's silliness. _

_He brought his partner here to the Hard Rock Orphanage as a means of getting him and Sherman acquainted. That way, the child would have as smooth of an integration into his new family as possible._

_At this rate, the continents will have shifted back into a second Pangaea by the time _these_ two begin to interact on their own—and that was wishful thinking._

_Deciding to put an end to the silence with his usual icebreaking demeanor, Peabody picked Sherman up, the little one reacting this time with a happy giggle and immediate hug about the dog's velvety nose. The smiling beagle gestured his head to the larger canine._

_"Sherman, I'd like for you to meet someone very special to me: Keanu Jameson. I'd prefer you refer to him as Mr. Jameson or in less formal circumstances simply Jameson just to be fair, but I'll leave that up for him to decide."_

_An embarrassed chuckle escaped the terrier, who rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Geez, PB, you and your formalities. I'm fine with the kid just calling me Keanu. I'm not the president, for God's sake."_

_Peabody shook his head, about to pass a witty comment about his mate's casual nature—_

_"Ja-ma..."_

_Both dogs suddenly diverted all their attention to the infant, whose lips could be seen working out different syllables. _

_Did Sherman just...?_

_"Ja-ma...," Sherman repeated with more effort this time, tiny fists balled up in concentration._

_A proud goofy grin took over Jameson's face. He didn't even care to correct the kid; he wanted to hear this baby, this precious little creature, speak his name._

_He wanted the honor of hearing his future son speak his name._

_"Yeah: Ja-ma-son," the terrier encouraged with an excited nod as he leaned his hands on his knees so that he and Sherman were face-to-face, "Jameson."_

_"Ja-ma...ma?" Sherman continued to annunciate with an adorable tilt of his head, eyes bright and intent on the ebony dog, "Mama?"_

_A blush took over Jameson's cheeks. This was awkward._

_Peabody amusedly shook his head. "No, no, Sherman. Repeat after us: Ja-ma-son."_

_"Ja-ma-son," Jameson slowly reiterated in unison as well._

_Sherman scrunched his face up, the innocent picture of intense focus, his prospective fathers holding their breath...then at last spoke, big smile, arms stretched out:_

_"Jamama!"_

'Ov vey.' _Mr. Jameson groaned, facepalming instantly. Now he knew how PB felt._

_"Peababa! Jamama!" Sherman happily chirped once more, reaching out for each dog for each name. "Baba! Mama! Baba! Mama!"_

_Both dogs could only moan in affectionate exasperation, shaking their heads at the blissful infant._

_Well," Jameson shrugged, grinning, "at least we can't say the little guy doesn't like me."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

And to this day, Sherman still did.

In truth, the Hawaiian never believed he would have a child to look after, let alone one that loved him, not after all those crazy stunts he pulled during his youth or his record of losing his top, and because of his frequent times away the islander wondered if he even qualified as a parent anymore, just like Grunion implied when she barged into the hospital the day Sherman bit Penny.

As it turned out, Keanu was Peabody's blind spot.

_Let's see. Irresponsible. Uncontrollable. Erratic. Haphazard. Juvenile—_Keanu secretly gritted his teeth at the painful nose flick that pink-laden witch administered on him with her pen and his resultant protest—_Temperamental. Goodness, I'm surprised someone of Peabody's standing would associate with such a volatile character! I shudder to think he allows you around Sherman, though it would certainly explain some of the boy's behaviors. So tell me, Mr. Jameson. Do you believe a pair of dogs, one of which is a certified mental case...?_

_Mental patient. _There was a difference, not that Grunion cared about that.

_And the other an overqualified fraud, could hope to raise a human child? You're hardly there as it is. An absentee could never be capable of having an active part in a child's life, much less future. _

_I ask the kid how he's doing when he visits! I make sure Peabody's taking care of him! _

_Ah, but what if Peabody were lying? Seeing is believing, after all. _

_Peabody would NEVER—_

_And what will you do when Sherman is all grown up and ready for college? There'll be no need for you at that point. You'll might as well be nothing more than a friend of the family._

Throw up. Throw the hell up. That was all Keanu could think of doing at the time...because she spoke some of the truth, prejudiced as the rest of her words were. Staying at St. Canard off and on could not be helped (sometimes medications did not work out or his behaviors needed more professional monitoring); nevertheless they still severely restricted his time with Sherman, leaving the terrier with fewer chances to raise the kid than Peabody.

And his personality? Granted, Grunion's comments about _that_ had been nothing new to Keanu; heck, he even expected and enjoyed when others called him out on his character flaws. What hurt at the time was that they'd been related to Sherman's safety, and if there was one thing the islander prioritized for the child, if nothing else, it was his well-being.

Keanu hunched his shoulders, trembling from emotion. _'Despite what that ogre said, PB deserves the honor of being father more than anyone else I know. Me? Maybe I _am_ too screwed up to care for a child. But Sherman never cared about that, did he? He always looked me in the eye and saw through my messed up exterior and into my mushy gooey center. He never stopped loving me for me.' _

Peabody was right: Sherman truly was a beautiful boy. A soft hiccup escaped Keanu as he gave into the glimmers in his eyes. _'I love this 'ohana so much.'_

Unbeknownst to the islander canine, whom the kids now comforted upon discovering his tears, Peabody too had been recounting Sherman's introduction to the other dog. Except for one difference.

For Keanu, the cherished memory invoked happiness and awe.

For Peabody, everything at once.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_To Peabody's surprise, the terrier suddenly removed Sherman from his grasp and cradled him close to his chest, the baby never protesting once, instead burbling joyously as his hands played with the furry "moustache" of the midnight dog's snout._

_Peabody resisted the instinctive urge to snatch the boy back._

_But why?_

_This was only Jameson, after all._

_This was only Keanu._

_Only Keanu._

_Only someone driven by impulse. Pure intuition and raw instinct. Just like nature itself._

_Unrestrained, unregulated, unpredictable. Wild._

_All of a sudden, Peabody understood what he'd just done and why his protective instincts ran so deep. He had allowed an embodied force of nature to handle his son. He had allowed someone easily capable of destruction to hold Sherman's life in his hands._

_The very thought should have filled him with fear. It should have filled him with anger._

_All he felt consisted of an eerie calm, like that of someone awaiting the approach of an inevitable and devastating storm._

_Because Peabody—_Hector_ had seen before the capabilities of a Keanu lost in anger. Seen before the sort of damage the terrier could wrought if his logic drowned deep enough beneath the waves of his passion and temper._

_Sherman could very well drown._

_He would not._

_Nature moved and stopped for no one._

_Keanu moved and stopped for only two reasons, and he held one of them in his arms while the second stood frozen still, breathless and unable to fathom the depth of trust he held in the unknowing islander._

_But not unable to realize his own blessing of having someone this true by his side. Hector opened his mouth to speak something, anything. For once only silence escaped him, his intended words now seeming too small in his vast mind, too small to properly capture the surge of emotion his newest epiphany wrought._

_Keanu looked up and those haunting sunset eyes declared the battle over._

_"PB...you okay there, buddy?"_

_Not the most romantic statement. It received a reaction nonetheless._

_In the space of two skipped heartbeats, Hector closed the gap. He wrapped his arms around Keanu's neck and enveloped the terrier in a fierce kiss, taking special care not to crush Sherman between their bodies. The larger dog, wide-eyed for a second, blissfully shut his eyelids at the familiar soft lips and gentle moist tongue._

_And while all this happened, Sherman stared up in wonder at his moaning fathers, curious as to what they were doing but seeing enough of their expressions to know that they were happy. He simply smiled, content in his baby knowledge that his daddies loved each other that much._

_Even if whatever they were doing looked kinda icky._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Peabody sighed in content, the memory soothing his mixed feelings while some worry and anxiety lingered in his thoughts, even as he helped Sherman and Penny set the islander's heart at ease.

"It's okay, you guys," Keanu assured him, "I'm just really, really happy."

A few minutes later, the PB n' J family rode the elevator to their penthouse suite after bidding farewell to Penny and her father.

The moment the doors opened to their house, Jameson swaggered two steps inside then took a long deep breath in, arms stretched out, and released it with gusto, feeling much better after his emotional release earlier. "Ah, it feels good to be back home!" He clapped his hands together in earnest, eyes looking around. "Okay! First things first..."

At his pause, Mr. Peabody and Sherman waited expectantly. A few moments of silence later, the pair shared a quizzical glance.

"First...," Peabody urged Jameson on.

The terrier faced the prodigy with an unabashed smile. "Give me a moment. I need to come up with something to do first."

Sherman held back a giggle while Peabody facepalmed for they had expected no different.

Jameson shrugged his shoulders at their reactions. What? He couldn't resist! "Hey give me credit for showin' enthusiasm at least! I've been stuck up in that hospital for God knows how long!"

"Well then," Peabody gestured a forepaw to the right-hand hallway, "might I suggest letting Sherman show you to our room while I prepare dinner?"

The terrier shot a worried look over to Sherman, who looked rather eager to help him out. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Okay, but I am not letting the kid carry my luggage. He'll break his back faster than a pack mule. I'm still shocked you didn't keel over when ya handled one of 'em yourself."

Peabody's green eyes flashed with minor irritation. He never liked reminders of his being the physically weaker one. For all his brains and skills, Peabody could not deny how even at full health he lacked Keanu's brute strength. At least this was Keanu telling him so, especially out of concern, so the beagle let the matter go with an assuring smile and a shake of his head. "Oh heavens no, I'd rather Sherman just help you reacquaint yourself with being back home. I'll leave the matter of transporting your luggage to you."

He turned to his son next. "Sherman."

The redhead nodded obediently. "Sure Mr. Peabody! Mr. Jameson, this way please!"

Without breaking a sweat, Jameson heaved his suitcases over his broad shoulders and gestured his head for Sherman to lead the way. Once they left Peabody's line of sight, the beagle released a heavy breath he'd been holding. A hand to his temple signified the burdening worry that chained his mind down. Memories of Keanu's poorly veiled tension at meeting Paul and subsequent sobbing replayed in his mind.

Keanu was nervous. That much was obvious, as was the reason. _'Not that he and I haven't been down this path before, but you must stay positive!' _Peabody turned towards the kitchen, aiming to prepare a dinner that would set everyone's mind comfortable. Gathering the necessary cooking implements and ingredients, he got down to work.

_'Our family has weathered through much worse. We'll come out just fine.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

All the while, Sherman and Jameson had reached the master bedroom, the boy pushing the door open and even jokily ushering the terrier in like a proper butler.

Snorting good-naturedly at the gesture, Jameson swaggered in and set his cases down on the flawlessly clean bed. With a content sigh and hands on his hips, he let his eyes venture over the room. Just like he remembered, not a speck of dust littered the immaculate place, numerous full-to-capacity bookshelves lining the wall wherever did not already stand the massive double windows, computer station, polished oak bed and nightstands, or file cabinets. The ceiling fan above remained idle, hanging from the white ceiling while the beige carpeting gave a pleasant cushion to the terrier's feet.

Keanu's gaze shifted to the bed, his smile turning dreamy at the memories shared beneath those silky red sheets. Easy to imagine those blankets alone costing Peabody a fortune—not that it made much of a difference in Keanu's opinion. Living in luxury was fun (no lie there) but Keanu was still a simple man with simple needs.

_'Speaking of which, there are some needs me and PB need ta fix up,' _he mused with a slight smirk...only for his face to melt into a frown. _'One in particular...'_

"Keanu..."

The addressed canine faced his son with curious eyes, wondering what the boy wanted to say or know. "Yeah, kid?"

Sherman tried to keep eye-contact rather than cast his gaze at the floor, knowing how much his parent lacked in terms of patience. _'You need to bring this up, Sherman...just as long as Mr. Jameson doesn't take it too personally.'_

Clearing his throat, Sherman faced his dad. "Earlier back in Mr. Peterson's car...why did you start crying?"

Keanu balked instantly, staring at Sherman with eyes wide and full of surprise. Clearly he hadn't expected that question—actually what was he thinking? He should've known better than to have believed Sherman would forget his sob-fest so easily and quickly. Was Keanu ashamed to admit his reason, though?

_'I just got out of a clinic for the umpteenth time. I'm not about ta start by lying to my boy.'_ Hopping up onto the bed, legs dangling off the edge, Keanu gestured Sherman to join him. Once the child obediently climbed up next to him, the terrier wrapped an arm around his shoulders, holding Sherman protectively close.

Keanu let the moment sink in for now. Times like this were so elusive and in between during his time in the hospital. Sure he got to come home for brief stints of time, but those had never been enough. Then again, when had enough ever been enough for Keanu Jameson? _'PB did always say I'm as greedy as a hog.' _

"Do you remember when we first met, Sherman?"

At this question, Sherman merely nodded. Despite being an infant back then, he could still remember his first encounter with Keanu clear as day. How could he not? Folks like Keanu know how to leave lasting impressions.

"And do you remember when your dad left us alone in the house for the first time?" Keanu smirked. "Heh, he gave me the same look from when I held you in my arms back at the orphanage."

A bemused Sherman could only imagine. To Mr. Peabody's overprotective streak, he was no stranger.

Still to know that one of his parents used to have trouble trusting the other mind-boggled the boy. His two fathers always seemed in perfect sync with each other, differences and all. Their teamwork always saved the day during WABAC trips gone awry, Peabody making the plans and Jameson providing the extra muscle. And when they argued, they never remained apart for long, the tension always ending quickly in the form of murmured apologies and fervid nuzzles.

"I know I might not be the best role model," Keanu continued meanwhile, "Don't even know If I deserve bein' a dad...but you're my son whether I like it or not and I'd sooner be served at a luau than let somebody hurt you. And when I held you, I...I didn't know what ta think at first. Here I was, holding someone small and fragile, someone precious, someone I never thought I'd hafta take care for."

His grip on Sherman tightened but only slightly. When he spoke, his voice came out a whisper. "The thought scared the Helen of Troy outta me."

Keanu pulled back to look Sherman in the eye. "Sorry I was MIA for so long."

To the terrier's surprise, Sherman tackled him by the waist in a fierce hug, all the strength in his small body thrown into the action while his face buried into the dog's chest fur, Keanu himself having no idea what to say. "Course you deserve to be a dad. You and Peabody took real good care of me. I still missed you, though."

Oh grief, this kid had him around his little finger, didn't he? Fighting back his tears, Keanu returned the hug with equal emotion, his nose submerged into Sherman's cherry red hair. "I missed ya, too, kid. I know I looked all smiles and whatnot every visit, but the truth is...it really scared me to be there without you and Peabody."

Considering how often the terrier had to stay at St. Canard, Sherman truly empathized with his dad. Believe it or not, he and Peabody (though the beagle never outwardly admitted it) shared similar feelings on the situation. "It was really tough not to worry about you, too, Keanu," Sherman pulled back to talk face to face and tried to give his best encouraging smile. "At least we got to see each other from time to time."

_'Always count on Sherman when it comes ta pick-me-ups,' _Keanu chuckled and tousled his son's hair, the dog's way of saying thanks for the reassurance. "You always know what ta say, don't ya kid? Anyway, if things in this house are the same as last time, I'm betting your dad'll have dinner ready soon. You finished all yer homework, right?"

"Yep," Sherman answered with a proud nod, "Penny and I finished it all during study hall."

A proud grin complimented a hearty noogie. "Atta boy! What about any tests you got coming up?"

Sherman put a finger to his chin in thought. Now that Keanu mentioned it..."We _do _have a test on long division coming up Monday."

"And today's Friday!" Keanu exclaimed with outstretched arms. Hopping off the bed, he faced Sherman with a confident smirk. "Lucky for you, not only do you have plenty of time to study, you also got the honor of having the best math tutor this side of Oahu! Did I ever tell you about my straight-A record throughout college?"

Sherman tilted his line of sight sideways, the light in his eyes as teasing as his grin. "I thought that was Mr. Peabody."

Keanu pointed a finger at him, half-serious yet half-joking on account of his withstanding smirk. "Hey, if anybody's gonna make wisecracks, it's gonna be me. You just focus on getting that noggin of yours to work. Now then, get your notes from your room cuz tutoring is now in session!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two hours later, Mr. Peabody opened the door to Sherman's room to tell his son to come to dinner. "Sherman?"

Nobody here. The beagle eyed the empty room in wonder, hands on his hips and humming to himself in a contemplative manner. _'Perhaps Sherman is still catching up with Keanu.'_

That conclusion would make sense since those two had been missing out on each other's lives for a while. Even considering the visits, one had to admit: hearing how a loved one's life has been was one thing; seeing it for themselves was another.

That's when Peabody noticed the absence of Sherman's backpack. He'd seen his son still carrying it when he'd gone off with Keanu earlier. Perhaps Sherman dropped it off here then came back for it?

If that was the case...

Closing the door, Peabody ventured off to the master bedroom. While hunches resided out of his jurisdiction, something in his gut told him he'd find his quarry in his (and now Keanu's) quarters. Sure enough, a peek in revealed his spouse and child sitting crisscross in the middle of the room together, surrounded by a messy flock of papers the pair studied with great focus while Keanu's suitcases stood to the side.

Peabody could not deny a surge of pride at his boys. Not back home for a day and already Keanu was on top with advancing Sherman's education. Clearing his throat to get the duo's attention, he stepped into full view. "As much as I'd hate to interrupt your study session, gentlemen, I'm afraid you'll have to call it off for now. Dinner is ready."

"Oh, okay Mr. Peabody!" Sherman hopped up and walked towards the door, pausing only for a moment to glance over his shoulder. "C'mon Keanu! We can finish later."

"You better not hog all the food for yourself, kid! That's my job!" Keanu loudly called after the boy. Once Sherman was out of earshot, he faced the smaller bespectacled dog with a semi-sheepish grin. "Eh, hope ya ain't steamed at me and Sherm borrowing our bedroom. I—"

A furry finger to his lips shushed him. "Shh. No need to explain, my dear. I understand your reasons perfectly. Still, please ask next time. There are possessions of ours in here I'd rather not Sherman know until...," Peabody's eyebrows furrowed, "well, _that _phase of life."

Keanu suddenly perked up. "Oh, that reminds me!"—his eyes became half-lidded as he leaned his face towards the beagle's own, hands behind his back—"You and me got some catching up to do ourselves."

That same shushing finger lightly flicked his nose. Keanu made show of holding his "injury" and threw in a theatrical whimper and pout for the heck of it. Peabody arced an eyebrow in amusement at the antics, once again the metaphorical professor dealing with the impossible student. Not to say that his mate's suggestion lacked merit, of course. They _were_ far overdue for some "alone time" after all.

The prodigy placed a soft hand against the shirtless area beneath Keanu's neck and collarbone, reveling instantly at the heartbeat beneath. His whisper into the larger canine's ear carried the silk-touch promise of desire and anticipation. "Easy, love. There will be time for that soon enough."

Especially since there remained some matters they still needed to discuss.


	7. Talk It Out

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

Light.

Light was shining down on him. Down on his eyelids to be more precise. Annoying yet pleasant.

"Mm," he mumbled with a hand raised over his eyes, "Turn out that light."

Stifling a groan at the offending brightness, Keanu Jameson opened his eyes and sat up on his hindquarters. His mind immediately registered the familiar rough warm texture of sand beneath him along with the soothing clamor of ocean waves nearby. A gaze back revealed tropical forests in the near distance yet no obvious human structures. As far as he could tell, this place could have been an uncharted island, and no telling whether or not it was deserted. He'd heard and seen enough stories and movies about cannibals to be on guard just in case.

A shrill whistle from out of nowhere pierced the air. Jameson shot his head to and fro, rocketing up to his feet with intent on discovering the sound's origin. Someone else was here! Hopefully survivors!

Curling his hands around his mouth, he shouted, "Hey! Yo, handsome terrier in a stylish aloha shirt here! Much as I like wakin' up in paradise, some directions back ta New York would rock right now!"

No response.

Keanu's face twisted in concern. "Hello?" he called again, only this time in a tone more panicked and desperate. There _had _to be someone else here! Unless he imagined it, that whistle couldn't have come from nothing.

That's when he heard it again. Only now it kept repeating, never sounding the same, almost as if modulating each time. Was it...a tune?

No, it _was_ a tune. A very, very familiar tune. But from where?

Almost as if on autopilot, Keanu found his own body moving towards the sound, his mind and thoughts blank except for this single desire to know_. _

Who was the whistler?

Why were they whistling?

And most importantly how did they learn to do it so beautifully?

Before long, aimless wandering brought Keanu to the edge of a massive rock outcropping that stood on the shoreline, the end of the largest rock sticking out over the tranquil ocean like a diving board while countless seagulls flocked above it, their creaking caws mixing with the cacophony of crashing waves.

And at the base of this monolith stood—

"Peabody?"

If the beagle noticed his presence, he never let on. Instead he stood as still as a statue, his gaze focused and heavenward, head tilted back as a result while his drooping ears and head-fur drifted in the gentle breeze.

Keanu stepped closer, confused as heck as to how the beagle ended up here. He opened his mouth to speak—

Peabody's voice cut him off, cool and calm yet with an edge the other dog could not identify. "What are you most afraid of?"

Confusion flashed through Keanu's eyes before it melted into curiosity. Where had _that _question come from? He heaved his shoulders up in a nonchalant fashion and half-grinned at the cryptic beagle. Probably wouldn't hurt to play along for now. "Usual stuff, I guess: losing my family, death, dying young, and...Let's see, what else?"

"What about yourself?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you fear yourself?"

"Heh, now what kinda question is—"

All of a sudden thousands upon thousands of seagulls converged upon the scene, their frantic flapping wings and blurring bodies blinding Keanu and forcing the terrier to cover his eyes with his arms lest any of the birds tried to claw or peck him.

Eventually, the maelstrom of feathers ceased and Keanu could see again.

Peabody was gone.

Not only that, the area had darkened considerably, thanks in no small part to the thick rumbling black storm-clouds rolling across the heavens and swallowing up the sunlight. Thunder roared in the presence of blinding lightning while the wind, once gentle and benign, roared like a mythical beast all around, nearly knocking Keanu off his feet.

The terrier stood his ground as best as he could against the elements, only to eventually fall to his knees at the bellowing gale. He had seen storms before, but something about this one felt beyond any storm. This...this felt like a tempest out of a holy book or ancient tale. Then as quickly as the howling winds came, they vanished.

A glance up revealed why. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of a massive beast taking shape within the approaching storm-clouds before his eyes.

Arms and legs rippling with muscle attached to a rotund yet well-built torso emerged, a Hawaiian war-club filled with wickedly sharp shark teeth held by calloused hands that could have crumbled a mountain with no effort. When the celestial giant stepped forward with its hooved feet on the cloudy platform, Keanu swore even the sky shook. At last the head appeared: two beady burnt-orange pupil-less eyes of a head resembling that of a hog amidst monstrously curling tusks and wild flowing hair more ebony than the deepest darkness.

Those same eyes shifted downward until they landed upon the insignificant animal that stood in awe, reverence, and fear.

Too petrified to move yet strong-willed enough to keep himself from fainting, Keanu managed to speak in a dumbstruck voice, one finger slowly pointed towards the deity whose legend he remembered from his childhood and whose name still marked his deepest memories.

"You. You're..."

Slowly and powerfully, the colossus pointed his weapon to himself... _I...am...you._

These words reverberated throughout the air, the voice that carried them denser and older than the land itself. Then he pointed his weapon to Keanu. _And you...are...me._

His eyes narrowed dangerously. _I...am what you fear. Gaze upon what lies at your feet and you will understand._

Keanu did not want to. He knew he should not. But those eyes...those eyes too much like his own...

He'd only do it to assure himself. Assure himself that this was just a silly dream.

Biting back dread, he did as commanded and looked down.

His heart stopped.

There at his feet, lifeless and pale, lay—

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Keanu did not wake up early the next morning. No surprise there. He'd always been a heavy sleeper.

Besides, there was the issue of finding a job that needed discussion. Keanu managed to finish his degree, but the periodic stays at the hospital happened too often for the terrier to keep a steady occupation. It was no fault of his; the circumstances merely slipped beyond his control. All the same, Peabody preferred his mate have something to fall back on and with which to occupy himself other than sitting around the house all day. The more rested Keanu was, the better the chances of them working out a feasible plan for his future.

As for marriage, well, there'd be plenty of time to decide _that._

For now, Sherman remained top priority, so after kissing the slumbering islander goodbye, his face hidden from view by the pillows, Mr. Peabody took to the bathroom to freshen up then sauntered down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Sherman showed up about an hour later, his drooping eyes and suppressed yawn testimony to the sleepiness still lingering on his face.

"Morning, Mr. Peabody."

"Good morning, Sherman!"

Despite his drowsiness, the boy did a brief look-over once he noticed someone missing. His bleary eyes turned towards his father. "Where's Mr. Jameson?"

"Still asleep." The beagle never tore his focus away from the pan. "Not to worry, he will be up before long. Now then, who wants some bacon?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Keanu proved him wrong. He still lay in bed by the time Peabody returned from dropping Sherman off at the Petersons for his playdate with Penny.

_'Something is amiss.' _

A few suspicions about last night lingered in Peabody's mind, but as he watched his mate continue to sleep prone, the beagle knew assumptions would be of no use in this situation. If he wanted answers, he would have to confront Keanu himself.

Footfalls almost silent against the carpet, Peabody approached the bed then placed a gentle hand on the larger dog's back. "Jameson?"

A nudge brought no results. "Jameson."

The nudging increased in force. "_Keanu." _

This time, Peabody meant business. He was growing tiresome of this nonsense, so hanging onto his dwindling patience, the prodigy sat down on the bed just inches away from the terrier, his tone calm yet firm. "You have to get up. Sleeping in is typical of you, I know. However, you should not be wasting valuable time in bed when you could be up and about doing something more productive."

The terrier's body slowly curled in on itself as if withdrawal into a shell. Peabody's brows scrunched in concern while his face softened. Just as he feared, something _was _amiss. Very amiss.

"Keanu," the beagle crawled over to the other side of the bed to look his partner in the eye. Not that Keanu would let him; the terrier dug his face deeper into the pillow like a burrowing animal trying to escape a predator. Peabody released a pitying sigh before laying down beside his lover and gathering him into his arms.

He resisted the urge to smile at the feel of a thick arm wrapping around him, preferring to keep his serious demeanor. Business before pleasure, after all. "I surmise from your behavior that you experienced the effects of a rather unpleasant series of nocturnal images."

Normally, his "fancy vocab" would be enough to incite a rise out of Keanu. Not this time. The resultant silence told him everything.

Peabody lowered his tone to a soothing whisper. "Keanu, how many times must I tell you? A nightmare is like a dream, nothing more than a byproduct of REM sleep. It has virtually nothing to do with reality other than including certain elements of one's day to day life. Granted, psychologists and scientists alike have pondered on the exact nature of dreams; regardless, I can assure you—"

"Kama Pua'a."

Peabody blinked. He never anticipated _that _for an answer.

Keanu sensed his confusion as well for as soon as he finally removed his face from the pillow, he regarded Peabody with calm eyes, the beagle cringing at the tear stains visible in the fur of the other dog's face. "The Hawaiian pig god," the islander continued, "the one who kept pissing off Pele and eventually turned into a fish."

"Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, the official state fish of Hawaii." As usual, Peabody pronounced the word flawlessly.

For the first time this morning, a genuine smile came to Keanu's face. With his free hand, the terrier fist-nudged the beagle's chin with a smirk. "Show-off."

A brief chuckle escaped Peabody before he got serious again. "I'm curious. What does this god have to do with your nightmare?"

Keanu answered not with words but with a twitch of his fingers that suggested Peabody to come closer. The beagle did so and let the terrier cling to him in a tight secure embrace. Though no longer able to see the prodigy's face in this position, Keanu could feel the emotions that tossed his mate back and forth like turbulent waves throughout the narration of his dream.

And when he got to the end, he stopped cold for a moment...then spoke, his voice soft yet heavy, "Both of you were dead. Your necks, arms, and legs: all of them loaded with scars...and your blood. They stained my hands completely. I was the one who ki—ki..."

A kiss silenced him.

"Hush," Peabody urged after pulling back. His emerald eyes shone with sorrow and empathy. "No more. Your nightmare provided nothing more than a visual representation of your deepest fears, fears that will not necessarily come true. I know you would never hurt us in real life"—when Keanu opened his mouth to retort, Peabody cut him off with a kiss—"and even if you did by accident, we would still love you."

Keanu smiled, albeit weakly. PB somehow always knew how to read him like a book, better than anyone else ever could. Always knew how to corner him, too, the smug little bastard. A puff of air escaped the terrier, who stroked a hand over his styled tufts of head-fur while chuckling in wonder at the beagle. "I don't deserve ya sometimes, you know that?"

Peabody fondly patted the larger dog's furry cheek, his own rich laughter perfectly matching the warm tender brilliance in his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder the same of you, if knowing that is any comfort. Now, are we feeling better?"

Keanu rubbed the back of his head, his lips an embarrassed grin. "Not 100 percent but better than before at least."

"Good!" Peabody exclaimed with a clap of his hands because before Keanu could blink, the beagle had already hopped off the bed and was strolling his way back out. "Because there are matters we _must _settle immediately before anything else and while there are no distractions."

To Peabody's surprise, the terrier snorted. "Give Sherman a little more credit than _that _at least."

"Yes, well, even _you_ must admit that his exuberance while admirable and endearing can prove tiresome at times."

By this time, Keanu had put on a white-flowered, dark-blue shirt and followed the other canine out into and down the hallway. He gave the beagle's cute posterior a quick squeeze, just to see the beagle flinch a little. "But we love the little sparky all the same. Now then what do the world's smartest being and the world's weirdest being have to talk about today?"

He yipped at a startling pressure on his own rump, caramel eyes wide and unbelieving at the smirking dog beside him. Peabody did not like being one-upped.

"Quite a deal, I assure you. First off, there is the matter of you procuring a job."

From the way Keanu rolled his eyes and groaned, you would've thought he were a teenager being told to do his mountain of homework assignments. Rubbing a hand down his face, the ebony canine flashed a sarcastic mock-frown at Peabody. "Somehow, I knew that was gonna come up."

"Surely you don't expect to play the role of housewife." Peabody repressed a shiver. "Just the mere image of you in a dress or apron is enough to justify cleansing my mind with aggressive cleaning agents."

Keanu threw his head back in uproarious laughter. _'Like he's one to talk! Or has someone here forgotten our little roleplays from college? Hmm, better keep that in mind for next time.'_

Outside his head, the terrier shrugged his shoulders as nonchalantly as possible, keeping the smirk off his face. "Why not? I mean, my potential for fashion disasters aside, I'd rock at keeping an eye on the place! I could keep the house in shape while you and Sherman are out, I could watch our kid while you're gone on your business trips—seriously, we're livin' in the 21st century. I ain't ashamed of keepin' house so my boys don't have a pile of ash and burnin' wood to come home to."

Once the two dogs sat down on the couch, Peabody tossed a pointed glance at his mate, really attempting _not _to picture that last bit. "Thank you for the imagery. I'll admit you make a valid point. However..."

A thick eyebrow perked up Keanu's forehead at the genius's atypical hesitation. "However?" he repeated to incite the beagle to continue.

Peabody sighed petulantly. "I'm just...afraid of you idling away at home alone. Your therapist advised it would be healthy for you to get out more, interact with others beside Sherman and me, and as one who's studied mental illnesses extensively, I must concur with that suggestion."

He placed a hand on Keanu's hefty shoulder and readjusted his glasses so that the other dog could see the anxiety in his shimmering eyes. "All I'm saying is that I don't want something happening to you when we're gone."

_'When we're gone and unable to help you' _Keanu could hear. A puff of air ejected from hims nose, the sound and the terrier's stubborn smirk giving him a rather hog-like attribute. He slapped his left hand on top of the one on his shoulder and neared his face towards Peabody's. "If you're tryin' to say you're expecting me to off myself, save yer breath. I got my medication and I got plenty of distractions, too. I can save myself just fine."

Though he sounded confident, in the back of his mind Keanu wondered if he should have phrased his words a bit differently since he could already see the genuine dejection springing up in Peabody's eyes. The terrier could only shake his head ruefully. He had always known since puppyhood how much Peabody valued being capable of helping others, the need residue from the beagle's hidden desire to prove himself as something more than a common animal.

Even more, Keanu could recall the time-paradox fiasco Peabody and Sherman told him one visit amidst his crazed and frightened questioning and the events that led up to it. He swore he'd never been more terrified in his life because Grunion's words from days ago—_absentee, future, friend of the family—_ haunted him throughout the whole narration.

So he could only imagine how Peabody, the one who _could _be there with Sherman, felt about it all. Peabody feared being alone, dreaded the thought of being isolated from the people he loved and who loved him back. For that reason he clung hard to Sherman, denying at every turn the inevitable fact that the boy would not be by his side forever.

Seeing the prodigy's side of the matter, Keanu's eyes softened at the smaller canine's despondent figure. "C'mon, babe, don't look like that. Look at me. Look at me."

Peabody did as requested.

"Do you remember the promise we made as children? The night of my birthday? Nobody would ever hurt you again, not with me around. I know my track record with it hasn't been spotless. Besides, there were plenty of times you and Sherman handled yourselves just fine without me; made me wonder if there was any point in even sticking around. _But,_" he emphasized the moment he caught Peabody's gaze slipping into panic, "I stuck around anyway cuz no matter how good getting away from my problems sounded, the thought of leaving you and Sherman sad and angry at me always stopped me from picking up the nearest blade."

He absentmindedly stroked a cowlick atop his love's head. "If having to live this life means having you and Sherman with me, then I can handle living with myself. For your sakes, I'll learn to love myself."

Peabody gently grabbed the hand stroking him and set it down, his eyes piercing Keanu like laser beams. "Do that for your sake, not ours. You'd do anything for us, true. The real question is: would you do anything for yourself?"

No one spoke for what felt like an eternity. A deep uncertain eternity...one Peabody broke the second his eyes flickered to the clock on the wall.

"I'd best get to my office. An employee expects me to reply at this time." He pecked Keanu's cheek. "We are not done discussing this, by the way."

That said, the beagle hopped onto the floor and trotted off, hands behind his back. Keanu remained where he sat, head tilted downward and eyes heavy with thought.

Until they suddenly flickered to life along with his smile.

_'I got it.'_

Peabody wanted him to do something for himself?

Alright then.

* * *

**My apologies that everything in this chapter has been heavy in tone. Not to worry, things will get lighter the further we go in.**


	8. Date Night

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

_Do you guys really think that would work, Mrs. Peterson, and on this short notice?_

_Trust us, Sherman. I did stuff like this plenty of times back in high school and he's assured me he's got everything covered. Just let Mr. Peabody know and we'll do the rest!_

That same snippet of conversation bounced against the walls of Sherman's brain all the way back home that afternoon.

When Mr. Jameson hadn't gotten up earlier this morning, Sherman began to worry. Yeah, he remembered his dad's heavy sleeping habit and kind of suspected the terrier would still need some time to adjust to being back home yet the boy could not shake off the feeling Mr. Jameson still needed cheering up.

Hence his ask for assistance from Penny and her mother, surprised by Jameson's call soon after. He only hoped what the trio had in mind would help. So lost in thought, he never noticed his father's curious gaze on him as the pair rode the elevator to their hallway.

"Sherman, you seem oddly pensive today. Did something happen between you and Penny?"

The ginger blushed instantly, waving his hands in quick denial. "Oh! No, no, no, everything's fine, Mr. Peabody! It's just...I've been thinking. Today's Saturday, right? You and Mr. Jameson should go out tonight."

Mr. Peabody perked an eyebrow at his son. Why the sudden interest in his and Keanu's love life?

Sherman twiddled his thumbs in nervousness. "I'm just saying. Mr. Jameson probably hasn't had a chance to enjoy himself outside the hospital. You two should do something special."

Peabody shook his head, flattered at the concern yet unaffected. "While I appreciate your concern, Sherman, I assure you Mr. Jameson and I already have plans this evening. We're going to have a simple dinner tonight at home," the beagle knocked on the door as he said this, "_and _I intend to invite Penny over as well since her parents will be off tonight on _their_ date. She and Jameson truly appeared to hit it off during our visit."

Smiling at the mention of his friend and one of his parents getting along with each other, Sherman still found himself pondering how to best tell his dad without too bad a reaction. The second the door opened, however, he realized there'd be no point.

Both boy and dog noticed the monstrosity of splattered color instantly and though Peabody faced the fashion disaster he called his one true love with a calm façade, internally he wanted nothing more than to butt his own skull through the nearest wall.

"Yes, I know." Mr. Jameson struck a flashy Elvis Presley-style pose in his full-body rainbow-striped tuxedo (all seven colors, by the way), complete with sparkly purple bowtie and dark-blue sequins. The only article of clothing lacking any color happened to be his white undershirt. "My appearance is that of a god."

Correction: Peabody wanted nothing more than to butt _Jameson's _skull through the nearest wall. Darn his pacifistic moral compass!

"No, your appearance is that of a Fruit Roll-Up apocalypse." Yes, the world's smartest being said that with a straight face while ignoring his son rolling about the floor in hysterics. "Change into something that confirms you as an inhabitant of this world_ please_."

And in terms of both the context of this ludicrous standstill and Peabody's dry sense of humor, 'please' translated to 'or else I drag you into the WABAC and abandon you in the middle of a forest filled with voracious carnivores.'

Jameson blew a raspberry at him, a little too similarly to a certain Italian madam. "You're just jealous I clean up so well."

"K-Keanu!" Sherman tried to settle his giggles down to speak before his fathers had a chance to ignite a third world war. "Why are you wearing that?"

The Hawaiian threw his arms out in the same fashion of a salesman presenting a wonderful new product. "You didn't tell him yet, kid? Your old man and I have a date tonight!"

Peabody stared at him the same way a businessperson would a sugar-induced clown, a disturbingly accurate metaphor in this case. Then he momentarily shifted his withering view to Sherman, who gave a nervous smile in return. "Yes, in the sanctity of our home, thank Einstein." And thank the stars Peabody rejected the idea of using the WABAC as a means for setting dinner up. He'd rather not have history scarred for eternity. "Also, you are most certainly _not_ wearing that in front of Penny tonight."

Keanu set his hands behind his back then leaned forward by the waist until he and the prodigy were eye-level. For all appearances, the terrier looked downright serious. "PB, with all due respect...stop hatin'," the corners of his lips upturned, "especially since I've got a surprise for you."

Peabody took a step back, eyes wide in horror as they flickered to the tuxedo. "If you expect me to wear such unsightly—"

His words cut off at the two tickets Keanu produced out of seeming nowhere in one hand, a cell phone in the other. Then Peabody noticed the familiar number on the screen.

_Patty's _cell phone number.

Peabody could only stare in surprise.

"Grab yer best suit, Peababy! You gonna be dancin' with the J-Man tonight!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Good luck with your date!"

Peabody extended a hand out to the departing couple in vain. "Patty, it is not...oh grief."

Devoid of any backup, the canine genius resigned himself to standing off to the side in a nonchalant and non-attention grabbing manner (or at least as close as possible for someone of his reputation), praying against hope his 'date' would not keep him waiting long or, worse, leave him out to dry.

Deciding to go with something classic for this outing, Peabody wore a simple yet elegant black tuxedo jacket complete with a white undershirt and his usual red bowtie.

Keanu left the Petersons' car the moment they arrived to, as he so put, "check up on things." So far, Peabody had not seen the terrier since for the last five minutes. What's more, the islander left in his usual attire of all things (an improvement as it was over the iridescent fashion disaster from this morning).

Verdant eyes trailed over the numerous people seated around the room; their clinking glasses and elegant décor helped him keep his wits about himself (these constituted his element, after all) yet he still could not help an uncharacteristic anxiety at the back of his mind. _'Please let this outing go well. True, my attitude towards this outing has been...cool to say the least; that isn't to say I do not feel elation at the chance to reassert my relationship with Keanu. I do. It's just—'_

A wolf whistle suddenly sounded behind him. "Mm, mm, said it before; I'll say it again. Still know how ta clean up, don't ya, Peababy?"

Annoyed at being startled out of his reverie, Peabody readied his mouth for a witty comeback, only to come up short after he turned around and noticed the rose red of Keanu's tuxedo, how it glimmered more than all the countless glasses of crimson wine in this room as if it were rubies in fabric form. The way the suit contoured to the terrier's body and brought attention to his muscles only served to render Peabody even more speechless.

With all his willpower and paws behind his back, the beagle managed to regain himself and plaster on his usual casually indifferent persona as he nodded in response. "Thank you, Keanu, you likewise. Now then, you said you had a table reserved for us?"

Without a word, the ebony dog gestured his forepaws to a nearby table. He even bent down at the waist in a deep bow as if to say 'cute sassy geniuses first.' Though Peabody shook his head at the gesture as he walked towards the table and past his deeply admirable friend, he couldn't help a faint smile at the displayed chivalry, Keanu immediately following close behind.

The moment both dogs seated themselves, Peabody began to finally take _real_ note of the finer details of the table: a three-pronged candleholder as the centerpiece holding aloft three scarlet candles, four smaller ivory nightlights surrounding them compass-style, a beige silk table cloth adorned with heart-shaped lattices, and (last but not least) two cylindrical glasses each holding a rose anchored by artificial red pebbles and on either side of the candleholder.

Couple all this with the nighttime view of New York and its earthly starlight and you had one stunning setting.

Even with his own experiences with luxury, Peabody had to keep his jaw from dropping. _'I must hand him credit where it's due. When he claimed he'd go all out on our little outing, he did not lie! I only hope he's financially prepared for such a meal.'_

Trying to ignore how the candles' soft glow reflected in Jameson's burnt-orange eyes, which were focused intently on the terrier's menu, and made them shimmer like a sunset, Peabody opted out of awkward conversation by taking up a menu and perusing the selections. He could not help but chuckle at his own behavior. _'Oh honestly, what do I have to worry for? Right now is a time for relaxation. Keanu has gone to such trouble after all to set this extravagant evening up; to ruin it so soon would be a waste.'_

Besides, Keanu knew better than to overestimate himself. If there'd be any trouble in paying the bill later on, then Peabody would gladly help settle the matter. For now, all that mattered was—

"Welcome sirs," eloquently greeted a portly man with balding white hair that contrasted with the black of his sharp tuxedo. "How may I serve you?"

"Well for one, you could jump onto the table, strip down, and do a little jig for us."

Peabody resisted the urge to facepalm at Keanu's point-blank suggestion, though he had to marvel at how unsurprised and composed the waiter remained, making the beagle beg the question as to the number of eccentric characters this restaurant had seen. In fact, now that he looked closer, the beagle finally noticed the...uniqueness of the facility's other diners.

A woman in weird peacock-esque attire. A giant of a man in a brown suit on the verge of tearing judging by the slight rips in the seams. Ah and a gangly violet-clad woman with a comically short and (if Peabody were to be honest) shifty-looking fellow in black.

No wonder Keanu and Patty agreed on this place.

_'Probably just as well, though'_, Peabody decided as he and Keanu gave their choices then waited for the waiter to return with their meal. A shame if someone were to file a complaint about two dogs at a table, much less two that came as a same-sex couple.

"Salsa," Mr. Jameson blurted out of nowhere in a casual tone.

What the—Peabody glanced up with a raised eyebrow, not sure what to make of the random word. "I...beg your pardon?"

Orange eyes finally looked up. "Salsa, the dance: do ya still know it?"

"Yes, I do. Why do you ask?"

A strange light suddenly crossed Keanu's eyes, the terrier shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant manner the beagle recognized immediately and for good reason: Keanu had something up his sleeve.

"Nothing." Keanu leaned back in his velvety seat. "Just considering we'd always partner up for that even before we got together, I can imagine my time away has made you...rusty."

Oh no, he did not. He did _not _just call Peabody, _the _Mr. Peabody, out on being rusty.

Peabody set his menu down with a deadly ease. Indignant huff escaping him, he promptly hopped out of his chair and faced the insubordinate terrier with a glare to rival Zeus. _'Dinner will have to wait.'_

In hindsight, Peabody anticipated something would go awry, especially with Keanu part of the equation. He'd simply gotten too comfortable.

At first, things went fine. The moment the canine couple took to the dance area near the room's giant elegant stage, Peabody literally sent his mate off his feet, swerving and dipping him with practiced finesse and grace. A few more twirls and Keanu appeared ready to give into his inner poet and swoon shamelessly, disgruntled onlookers be damned.

In fact, now would have been the perfect chance for Keanu to pour a torrent of passion out to his god of a lover—if he'd been paying closer attention to the movements of his own tail.

Peabody become so engrossed in the dance and Keanu become so enthusiastic at the feeling of having the beagle in his arms, neither caught sight of the passing waiter until it was too late to prevent the collision course with the terrier's wagging appendage and the tray. Foods of various shapes and sizes and colors catapulted high into the air, their velocity ceased at the peak of their movement, and then gravity returned them to Earth.

Or more precisely, onto the heads of many unfortunate customers. What transpired afterward could only be described as pure madness.

Due to the varied landing spots of the food, no one (besides the guilty party, of course) could determine the exact cause of the torrential foodstuffs. One thing was certain, though: no one was either pleased or amused. And as with all cases of anger, those nearest to the unlucky victims suffered the fallout.

As if their lifetimes of manners and courtesy had flown out the nearest window, patrons instantaneously resorted to flinging their meals left and right. Face splat here face splat there. In a domino effect, more and more flying food started to occupy the air, the whole ballroom transforming into the highbrow adult equivalent of a high school food fight in seconds.

Peabody and Jameson barely escaped with their lives. Well, their clothes barely did save for a few splotches of meat and fruit juices. Otherwise they escaped perfectly unscathed. Thank goodness no one had taken to including kabobs in the frenzy yet.

With the skills of soldiers at wartime, the two dogs made good use of whatever tables had not yet been upturned and even had to return fire a few times when the food projectiles came too close, the terrier and beagle watching each other's backs to minimize "casualty" until they at last reached the exit to the hallway.

_'Man,' _Keanu thought dismally as his ears drooped the moment he and Peabody succeeded in fleeing into the calmer silence of the lobby, both dogs exhausted from their escapade. _'This night did not go the way I wanted it to.'_

The terrier took a gaze at his soiled clothes and grinned despite himself. _'Well...at least no one can say it was boring.'_

Embarrassment withstanding, he faced the white beagle, who busied himself with dusting off his own messy sleeves. He dared a sheepish apologetic smile. "Yeah, sorry about all the hell I raised up back there. I mean I know you usually prefer your evenings ta be calmer, it's just—"

Peabody snorted, waving a dismissive hand. "Oh please, you make it sound as if you and chaos are not door-to-door neighbors. Believe me, Anu, the moment I saw you in your garish attire back home, I knew without a doubt today would result in nothing short of catastrophe. However..."

Ears perked up, Keanu nervously yet hopefully leaned downward and forward. "However..."

Peabody faced him with a genuine heartwarming smile matched only by his eyes. "As far as catastrophes go, that was rather enjoyable."

The terrier's eyes lit up a little more. "Then you actually..."

Peabody nodded.

Yes. Oh hallelujah yes. Keanu pumped both fists into the air, hopping up and down with all the vigor of a football player that had just scored the winning touchdown. "YES! BOOYAH! I DID IT!"

Waving a hand in a placating manner, Peabody bit back an amused grin. "Alright, alright, don't hurt yourself. One question has been nettling me since this night began, by the way, and I'm hoping you can satisfy my curiosity." He waited until Keanu reeled in his victory dance then continued. "I've already surmised that your reasons for this _date _stem from yesterday's talk; however, how does treating me to an elegant dinner almost beyond your budget qualify as doing something for yourself?"

For a split second, Peabody worried that his question killed Keanu's enthusiasm. How mistaken he was: Keanu's smile only become more prominent as the terrier scooped up the smaller dog in a loving squeeze.

"I know you can be a little big-headed, PB, but gimme some credit here. This _was _something for me. I didn't want spend my Saturday bein' all depressed so I figured 'hey, why not go out tonight?' And if I got to enjoy seeing_ you_ enjoy yourself, then hey bonus points!"

Green eyes went wide in amazement. "Then I'm flattered. Still there was no need to go so far. You and I could have had a lovely time in a less costly setting."

Keanu let out an embarrassed laugh. "Heh, I guess I just wanted to be sure you'd be comfortable. I know how much you're used to high-class stuff; ya probably would've felt awkweird in my alternative."

Peabody stared quizzically at the terrier's portmanteau but decided to let it go (for now). The beagle fixed his mate with a haughty gaze. "I'm an adaptive individual. So tell me, what _was _your alternative?"

Keanu gave his furry chin a thoughtful stroke. "How do ya feel about rock n' roll?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

An hour later at the local Hard Rock Café, the two dogs sat side by side, laughing over and discussing animated movies over a pair of nicely grilled Angus beef burgers and mango shakes amidst 30 Seconds to Mars's _Kings and Queens_, their soiled jackets hung over the backs of their chairs.

"Dude, thank you!" the terrier exclaimed as he threw his hands in the air, "Finally, someone who recognizes Dory for the amazing character she is!"

"Well then, Mr. Jameson," Peabody stated with a knowing smirk, "you are quite _whale_-come."

The pun sent Keanu howling with laughter, head thrown back for all to hear (not much difference with all the loud talking and music around them). "My God, man, how many more of those stupid jokes do you have?"

Peabody waved a dismissive hand. "Oh not too many, only enough to last us throughout the night."

Mr. Jameson rolled his eyes with a faux cringe. "Lucky freaking me."

Despite his smirk, the terrier actually felt relief deep down. Initially Keanu fretted over how Peabody would react at attending this establishment. After all, they tended to stick to more high-class settings during their trips on the WABAC but now that they had time to settle in, he could breathe easy once he realized how at ease the beagle was amongst the loud music and even louder voices.

_'Sometimes I just forget how versatile the guy is.'_

"I have an offer, by the way," Peabody spoke out of the blue, the firmness in his voice nudging Jameson out of his thoughts, "one that could actually prove advantageous for the both of us, hopefully for Sherman as well."

"Oh?" Keanu crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward, definitely wanting to hear this. "What is it?"

"You need a job and I need assurance of your well-being; more importantly, I will not always be able to look after Sherman when business calls, namely in the event of conferences. For these reasons, I would like to enlist you as my assistant."

In the space of a few seconds, Keanu's eyes expanded larger than Jupiter then narrowed. "Well, taking care of Sherman, I can handle. The kid loves me ta death! Being your second banana though? No offense, Peabody, but I don't see how I could be any help in the management of your company. You've been doing a bang-up job by yourself so far if you ask me."

"Naturally." Peabody responded with a self-satisfied smirk before getting serious again. "However, there _are_ certain matters that I could facilitate as CEO if I had someone for, for lack of a better term, _backup_."

_'Okay, now he's whet my interest.' _Keanu leaned back in his seat, his burnt-tangerine eyes studying his mate with wolfish keenness. "What kinda matters are we talkin' about here? I mean, what kind of experience will I need for the job?"

"Not to worry, love. You'll learn what you need to know. After all," Peabody's smile became knowing and superior, "who better to teach than I?"

Wow, this dog meant business. And Keanu knew from experience how well Peabody could match him in terms of stubbornness, which made arguing pointless. Besides, getting to use work as an excuse to stick around with his favorite genius longer and get more time and opportunities to bond with his son?

Pretty sweet offer overall.

So pursing his mustachioed lips, the Hawaiian canine let out a hearty chuckle then held out a hand to seal the deal, his toothy grin the only affirmation Peabody needed, the beagle more than glad to return both it and the handshake.

"I'll be looking forward to _those _lessons then."

* * *

**Honestly, I think we're ****_all _****interested in the sorts of lessons Peabody has in store for his newest student/helper.**


	9. Class is in Session

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

When the two dogs returned home later that night, Sherman noticed their chipper moods the moment they stepped through the door—Keanu's giggling fits, Peabody's jovial smiles, the way they kept leaning into each other. He knew better than to pry the details from them, but he and Penny didn't have to anyway. The kids could tell those two enjoyed themselves.

Peabody paid the babysitter in thanks and sent the dear on her way.

"So, how did things go?" Penny asked with a smirk, legs crossed beneath her. You could practically smell her eagerness to know. Easy to imagine considering the effort she and her mom put into helping Keanu set up this date.

"It was awesome," Jameson slowly iterated for effect; he even pinched his fingers together for emphasis. "Messy as he—heck, but awesome."

_'Duly noted,' _Sherman noted as he took a long mystified look at the stains and wrinkles in his dads' clothes. He _definitely _wanted to know how his parents' night out went, too.

Unfortunately, now was awfully close to ten o'clock, as Peabody was quick to point out much to the kids' disappointment since Sherman's bedtime was on the horizon and Penny's parents would soon be back from their own date to pick their daughter up. The details would have to wait for now. Well, _most _of them anyway. One matter, in the dogs' opinions, would require their kid's input. Fair was fair, in any case.

After Penny and her family left and Sherman finished brushing his teeth and changing into his pajamas afterwards, the family gathered in the young man's bedroom, Sherman in his bed with the blankets over him and Peabody sitting on the edge while Jameson kneeled on the floor with his arms crossed on the bed and propping his chin up.

"Sherman, there's a bit of news we'd like to share with you," the beagle began in a gentle tone, "Mr. Jameson and I discussed a few matters during our...'date' and we've come to an agreement that—"

"I'm gonna be Pepper Potts." Peabody and Sherman both fixed Keanu with stares, incredulous irritation from the former and utter confusion from the latter. The Hawaiian shrugged his shoulders. _'It sounded like a good metaphor in _my_ head.'_

Sherman's face brightened up in understanding, eyes expanded in surprise. "So wait...are you saying Mr. Peabody made you his personal assistant?"

"Personal assistant, secretary, secondary den mother: you take your pick, but yeah, I'll basically be helping your old man out with work, try to make sure he doesn't blow up the world and stuff like that."

That blasé quip earned the terrier a dry glance from Peabody. Like _that _hothead was one to talk. Sherman stifled a giggle. It had been so long since he had both of his parents here to joke around and tell him goodnight together; he knew better than to take this privilege for granted and would have gladly traded all the gold in the world to insure his parents would stay together for the rest of their lives.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. He twiddled his fingers in a nervous fashion. "So...does that mean you'll be coming with us on the WABAC again?"

Keanu ruffled the boy's auburn hair, his smile matching Peabody's perfectly. They were hoping their kid would ask that.

"As a matter of fact, Sherman," the snowy dog happily explained next, "he'll be required to join us since I expect him to learn on the job, including under high pressure situations. After all, being an assistant to someone such as me demands a high skill set."

_'That I can imagine,' _Sherman mused to himself. His dad wouldn't let just _anyone _be his assistant after all. And despite all appearances and eccentricities, Keanu qualified for that job better than anyone save for Sherman himself. The ginger tucked his blanket closer up to his chin, eyes heavy with thought before they focused on the terrier, full of uncertainty. "I hope you'll be okay with that."

_Okay with that?_ Keanu furrowed his eyebrows at the way Sherman phrased that statement, not ignorant to the worried glance he caught Peabody giving as well. The discussion from earlier this morning replayed in his mind, and right then he realized Sherman shared the same fears for him. Keanu could not decide whether to be annoyed, hurt, or concerned that even his son doubted him.

_'Take it easy. Getting upset'll do no one good.'_ Taking a deep breath, Keanu calmed himself and fixed on Sherman a firm yet compassionate smile. "I'm tougher than I look, kiddo...and I look pretty tough to start with. On the off-chance I _do _go off the deep end, I know you guys will slap me back to my senses."

_'But of course. Someone needs to assure this lovable oaf stays off the wrong end of our fiascos,' _Peabody smiled in relief, nodding confidently in response, before taking Sherman's glasses from the boy's face and placing them on the nightstand. "He's darn-tooting we will! Now then, get some sleep. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Sunday, Mr. Peabody."

The white dog chuckled in a knowing manner at his son's observation. "Oh you'll see. Goodnight."

"Aloha po, son," Jameson added as he and Peabody each gave their kid's forehead a quick peck before getting up and walking out to let Sherman sleep...except Peabody paused in the doorway, looking back much to Keanu's confusion and Sherman's curiosity.

"And Sherman..." Peabody hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to say what he wanted to say. He'd said it before, that phrase he alluded for seven years, one he barely even used for Keanu and, until the WABAC fiasco, never for their son. A glance over his shoulder at Keanu's supportive grin bolstered his confidence. "I...we love you."

For a moment, Sherman just stared at the beagle with wide eyes and a slightly parted mouth. Peabody feared for a moment he'd said the wrong thing...until the child softly smiled and called out, "I love you guys, too."

Sighing in immense relief, Peabody returned the facial expression and walked out of the doorway. Keanu followed suit and closed the door afterwards, though not before whispering to Sherman a quick, "But remember who loves ya more!"

As the terrier received a slightly uncomfortable ear-flick from Peabody for his reward and closed the door in faux pain, Sherman gave one last smile before going to sleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Uh, babe, I don't know about this."

"First off, no pet names during office hours. And second, you're going to be fine," Peabody slapped the terrier's fidgeting hands away from the red tie secured around the larger dog's neck, "Now please hold still. You're only making this more difficult than necessary."

"Well you didn't tell me I'd be half-naked for this."

"Your adamancy against wearing any shirt other than your own disallowed all options save for this. You basically have no one to blame other than yourself for this predicament. Besides, you and I at least match in this manner. A bit of color coordination never hurt any business relationship."

Monday morning was _not _going easy on Keanu; the terrier could only sigh in defeat. Even someone as stubborn as himself knew there'd be no point in dragging out the argument. Anyway, the situation could've been worse: he could've been stuck as a lower-level accountant or in the mailroom. Not that he had anything against those job positions; it was just that they would've meant being far away from Peabody.

_'On the other hand_', Keanu silently rued as he and Peabody took their seats and the board members who filed into the conference room did likewise, _'sitting around taking notes on everyone's blabbing isn't exactly the most exciting job either.'_

Indeed, as the meeting went on and Keanu jotted down whatever words and details struck him as important or prominent, he had to hold back plenty of yawns while keeping his head up. He was deeply grateful to Peabody for landing him this job (make no mistake about that), so it was only fair the terrier tough it out the best he could. It was just that this environment stifled his personality. There was a reason he took up artistry: to unleash his true self and spill his imagination across the canvas. And since this place lacked art supplies, the only other option was to just daydream the meeting away, probing his own brain for ideas for his next project.

So for the umpteenth time that morning, Keanu gently shook his head so no one would notice. _'Just stay focused, buddy. It'll be over before ya know it. Just remember Peabody's advice: be patient. Be patient.'_

A small hand griped his left knee, the action hidden beneath the desk. Keanu spared a subtle sideways glance to Peabody. Even though the beagle kept his attention on the young woman explaining the company's long-time costs, only the Hawaiian canine caught the faint grin.

A content silent sigh streamed through Keanu's nose. _'It's gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay. Just be patient.'_

He reflected back on the events of Sunday, crazy as they'd been, to elevate his mood. It had been a welcome reprieve to visit Jimi Hendrix again. Keanu and the guitarist considered each other kindred spirits due to their similar personalities, progressive creativity and shared love for music, and the latter had been more than ecstatic to see his "furry soul-brother" again. Getting to teach Sherman and Penny to play guitar had been a lovely bonus.

Best of all, Keanu got away with showing Peabody as much affection as he desired without judgement. That was usually the way things went whenever they traveled back in time. Peabody once mentioned that people do not bother questioning what they do not understand. Keanu had no clear idea how that worked, but whatever let him sneak a kiss every now and then was fine by him.

Of course, what's a WABAC trip without some mishap? Some crazy rival musician tried to stage an "accident" to befall Jimi. Naturally the situation called for some ingenuity from Peabody; at the same time, though, Sherman's keen eye caught the details that hinted at the key flaws in the scheme. With a few well-aimed chops and wallops with a drum (the latter courtesy of Penny), the no-gooder fell into unconsciousness, saving the day _and _Hendrix.

Keanu chuckled to himself at remembering the stunned countenance on the jerk's face from being clobbered by a seven-year old girl. That Penny sure knew how to knock in some heads. _'Note to self: do not tick the kid off when blunt instruments are in range.'_

"Jameson? Jameson!"

With a startled gasp, Keanu shot his eyes to Peabody (the one who called his name) and the other occupants of the room, suddenly aware of and blushing under the multitude of scowls and scoffs aimed at him. Under other circumstances, he would've flipped the bird at these snobs and pulled out his music player to drown them out.

Only problem was that this was a place of business. If Keanu wanted this arrangement to work, he had to follow through with his own effort. Feeling too much as if he were biting a bullet, the terrier broke eye-contact and returned to writing in his notebook. The meeting did not last much longer, much to Keanu's relief. He swore to the spirits, though, any longer under those holier-than-thou glares...

_Are you sure this is the kind of thing you want? _Jimi Hendrix's words replayed in the dog's head. The guitarist showed clear unease when Keanu mentioned accepting Peabody's offer for a job in between tutorials. _I'm just sayin', man. I know how attached to the hip you and Peabody are, but you got a bad habit of not thinkin' about yourself._

Keanu let a faint whimper echo in the back of his throat. Jimi had only been trying to be a good friend, and it wasn't like Keanu couldn't see where the man was coming from. It was just...just... _'Maybe...maybe I do still have problems loving myself.'_

He stiffened at a hand on his shoulder then relaxed once he turned and met cool green eyes.

"Don't be discouraged. It'll take you some time to adjust to the workplace. To be fair, though, I can see you recorded rather impressive notes on the meeting before you zoned out. Most of what you missed consisted of mere pointless debate."

"He's right, you know. You deserve more credit than that," spoke a female voice from out of nowhere.

_'Wait',_ Peabody realized as he furrowed his eyebrows,_ 'I recognize that voice'_. Turning as one, the two dogs noticed standing up from one of the chairs a fairly short, lithe woman with rivetingly copper-toned skin and shoulder-length black hair cropped close to her face, her deep brown eyes full of warmth that belied a temper and determination Peabody knew all too well. She wore a magenta business suit and matching high heels.

"Long time no see, Mr. Peabody," she friendly greeted before acknowledging Keanu with a nod, "Mr. Jameson, I presume"—she stuck out her hand for Keanu to shake, the terrier doing so with this inexplicably...nostalgic feeling—"I'm Pearl Leilani. From the Mauna Loa Project five years ago?"

She smirked at the beagle's blank expression. "Study buddy from Harvard?"

Peabody rolled his eyes in good nature. As if he could ever forget. "Believe me, you're a difficult woman to forget. Do forgive me if I sound insolent or unfriendly but I never received notification in advance you would be attending this meeting. If I knew beforehand, I would've been more accommodating."

"Oh of course. Sorry about that." Pearl chuckled then pulled out a business card and handed it to Keanu. "I work for Lunar Energy Inc. My bosses sent me on a matter of utmost importance so they considered it imperative that I reached you as soon as possible."

Her words piqued Peabody's interest. "Really? What is this matter per say?"

"Are you aware of the strange natural phenomenon that has been going on with the oceans lately, Mr. Peabody?"

The ivory pooch straightened his bowtie needlessly, a sign he'd gone into full-business mode. "Not hardly. Mother Nature has always been mysterious and capricious."

"True dat," Keanu agreed without thinking. At the amused double stares he received, the terrier shrugged. "Just agreeing. And what? Never heard street lingo before?"

Pearl shook her head, holding back a chortle. She could already see the contrast between this goofball fellow and his more orderly executive.

Peabody cleared his throat to get the conversation back on track. "As I was saying, Ms. Leilani, I too have paid close attention to the abnormal aquatic conditions taking place around the world. Some of the, quote on quote, 'experts' I've conversed with have suggested a variety of causes: global warming, tectonic activity, just to name a few. However, the patterns have proven rather too...orderly to be mere natural occurrences. I have reason to believe these incidents are connected to an artificial cause."

Pearl nodded in agreement. "That's what we at LE have come to believe as well. Tsunamis and hurricanes usually leave behind scores of casualties along with massive property damage. However, these ones have left behind only property damage, which even then is only minimal and thus more of a constant inconvenience. Still there's the potential for the results to be worse, however, so it'd be best to proceed with caution. If the cause to all this _is _being done by someone, then the question of who and why still remains."

Keanu hummed contemplatively throughout this whole conversation, paw to his chin. This all sounded like something out of the comic books he used to read as a puppy. _'No way. Even _I _know that can't be possible...right?' _The again, he _did _fall in love with someone who built a fully functioning time-machine (well what-could-have-been machine to be more accurate) for Keawe's sake. The idea of some nut or legion of nuts threatening world safety would not be so far-fetched by comparison.

Meanwhile, Pearl and Peabody's conversation drew to a close, evidenced by the former's nod. "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Peabody; hopefully with your company's help, we'll be one step closer to solving this. It was a pleasure meeting you by the way, Mr. Jameson."

Said terrier jolted out of his reverie faster than a live chicken in a restaurant. Stuttering and shooting his eyes all over as if he forgot where he was, Keanu regarded Pearl with wide eyes before clearing his throat unsteadily and nodding back. "Uh sure, yeah. I hope you're pleasured. Duh, I mean, it was your pleasure. I mean _my _pleasure! What I mean is—"

"Now if you'll excuse my associate and me, Ms. Leilani," Peabody calmly intercepted with his usual grace lest the other dog bury himself any further, "there are other matters that require our attention."

That said, the two dogs strolled out of the conference room—well Peabody strolled; Keanu basically let the smaller dog lead him by the arm (gently, mind you), quickly managing to keep in step with him until the pair fell into an easy gait. Even though the prodigy appeared to be the picture of calmness, anyone who knew him like Keanu or Sherman did understood how deceptive the façade could be. And taking the beagle's speculation about Nature's apparent fit into account, one could only assume that Peabody had locked the previous conversation into the back of his mind.

_'Good,' _Keanu decided, _'we might need this for future reference. And I got a feeling that Leilani lady's not telling us everything. Which reminds me...' _Daring a glance at the silent genius, he asked, "So...how's my grade for this morning?"

Peabody peered at him with that one-eyebrow-perked-up look that never failed to send shivers down Keanu's spine. "I mean," the black canine rambled on, "yeah it's still early and all! Won't blame ya for docking some points for my spacing out back there either. I just thought that you'd give me some kinda—MMPH!"

In one fluid motion, Peabody swiftly yanked Keanu's tie down, plunging the larger dog's lips onto his own, effectively silencing him. With no else around in the hall to see, this form of discipline worked fabulously. Just as Keanu began to lose himself in the kiss, Peabody pulled back, his stern emerald eyes piercing his acolyte like a spear. "Lesson one: stop talking so much."

He promptly released Keanu's tie, letting the terrier stumble back a bit for good measure. Not waiting for the Hawaiian dog to right himself up, Peabody continued on his way to the office. This time, his assistant had to jog to catch up.

Huffing through his nose, Keanu took a moment to gather his thoughts. "So what's on the agenda?"

"Considering this is your first day, forms and applications. Not to worry, we'll start you easy then work our way up—rapidly and rigorously I must add. My personal assistant needs _some _sort of challenge after all. "

That assurance earned a sarcastic eye-roll. "Gee, I'm so flattered."

Exchanging quick hellos with the secretary, Peabody and Jameson entered the office. The beagle took his regular seat at the oak desk while the terrier took note of the smaller counterpart next to it as well as the laptop atop it before taking a seat there of his own. The moment he caught sight of the large mounds of paper next to the laptop, he shot a nervous glance over at Peabody, whose only response consisted of an encouraging smile and hand gesture that said 'well go on'.

Keanu bent over so his head fell to the desk with a resounding clunk. _'Woo boy. This will be a hoot.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?"

"Alas yes! These hands have met their end, Sherman! They'll never play the piano again!"

"You don't play the piano."

"I intended to. Yes, I could see it all now: world class, moonlit sonnets on glittering yachts." Throwing his loosened tie to the floor in a dramatic fashion, Keanu collapsed onto the couch face-up. Sherman calmly sat down next to him, having witnessed enough of this guy's overreactions over the years to be unfazed. "Now that dream is gone."

A pile of clothes smothered the ebony canine's head, cutting off his bombast. Peeling back one of his shirts from his eyes, Keanu tossed a droll glare to the unimpressed ivory dog standing above his face. Count on PB to rain on your theatrics. And right on cue, too.

"If your bout of self-pity is quite finished, I do believe there is a lesson I set aside for the three of us." As part of Keanu's training, Peabody intended to teach the other dog how to prepare food and decided to include Sherman as well, just in case circumstances demanded the two prepare their own meals. And quite honestly, Peabody would rather Keanu have more to go off of than the TV dinner/bagel meal plan that constituted the terrier's nutrition during the beagle's time overseas.

"Really, Mr. Peabody?" Sherman chirped in interest. He clearly hadn't expected his inclusion in what he assumed to be solely training for Keanu, but he was gladly willing to partake in his father's lesson, all the same. "Does that mean I can show Keanu that upside pineapple cake recipe you showed me?"

For a space of a second, Peabody's calm countenance cracked a bit and Keanu swore he caught a flicker of fear flash across the smaller canine's eyes before the beagle regained his composure and cleared his throat. "We'll...get to it if time permits, Sherman. For now, I'd just like to insure the both of you remember your basic cooking skills. "Now then," his hand gestured to the kitchen, "shall we?"

Keanu and Sherman hopped off the couch and headed for the kitchen.

Peabody moved to do the same, only to freeze when his family passed by the mirror. Sherman looked the same as ever, but Keanu...did his appearance change for a moment?

Because Peabody swore it had become almost...pig-like.


	10. Strange Happenings

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

Sherman and Keanu triumphed in "cooking up" an edible and only slightly burnt meal. Having a native Hawaiian gave the pair an edge since the main course relied heavily on fish and fruit, and Keanu could still recall his uncle's cooking tips from long ago. No pork, though—the terrier had something of a vendetta against it whereas Peabody viewed the meat as unhealthy for both human _and _canine consumption—so chicken worked out as a viable substitute.

"Mmm, well I must say," Mr. Peabody set his fork down as the meal drew to a close, "your efforts do not disappoint. A few minor slip-ups aside, you two have prepared this quite well."

Sherman brightened at the praise while Keanu blushed beneath his fur.

"Thanks Mr. Peabody!"

"Heh, thanks."

Calmly dabbing his mouth with a napkin, Peabody deliberately ignored the porcine visage that once again replaced Keanu's reflection, evidenced by the window behind them. How Keanu himself and Sherman never took note of this anomaly, let alone reacted, baffled the beagle to no end. _'Am I the only one to notice? Or are they just as aware yet afraid to say anything?'_

Either way, now would not be ideal to bring this matter out on the table (no pun intended). He would discuss it with Keanu later, but right now family time remained top priority and to allow another personal issue to interfere in their lives would be unacceptable.

Instead the ivory canine brought up Keanu's first day to Sherman while the trio worked on cleaning the dishes. Peabody could tell the boy was keen on knowing if Keanu enjoyed his new job, and since only a few hours remained before bedtime and both dogs finished most of their work before returning home today, he and Jameson figured it wouldn't hurt to indulge their son for the time being.

"Well, aside from the torture subjected to my aching undeserving fingers," Keanu tossed a playful glare at an impassive Peabody, "it went beautifully. I got to wear a tie, take part in grown-up stuff, _and _I think we even made a new friend."

Sherman, who stood in between his fathers, looked up from the soapy dishwater with apparent interest. "Really? Who?"

A plate sliding into Sherman's cleaning section from the left cut Keanu off before he could speak and pulled the boy's attention to Peabody, who too reign of the conversation next. "She's more of an acquaintance from college. I had the honor of helping her and her colleagues on a project some time ago."

"What was it about?"

Keanu craned his head, his eyes flashing. He liked to know, too. Not that the idea of Pearl and Peabody made him jealous. He knew the beagle loved him too much to cheat on him. It was just that of all the things PB told him about Harvard, not once did he ever mention anything about a Pearl. However if Peabody_ did _reveal anything about this woman, then maybe Keanu could justify the weird nostalgic ache seeing her left in his stomach because some part of him just _knew _he should recognize her from somewhere.

"I'm hardly surprised you don't remember, Sherman; we adopted you a year prior to its initiation. Pearl and her team were attempting a means of harnessing the energy behind Mauna Loa's eruptions into something usable for the local population, perhaps even devise it into something applicable to similar regions around the world. Even though my company was funding them and they asked for my expertise on environmental science, I could only work with them via telecommunication since I couldn't afford to leave you two."

Gushing inwardly at the last sentence, Keanu absentmindedly set a dried plate into the dishwasher, more focused on the story than his work. He vaguely remembered PB mentioning something going on in Hawaii, even though the terrier had been mainly focused on the mere mention of his old home at the time. The overload of technical jargon on Peabody's end probably had something to do with it, too. "Did the project work?"

Peabody's face contorted into a wary grimace at Keanu's question. "No, it did not. It showed significant progress until three months later when I received news of a terrible explosion. No one died, fortunately, but no one dared to approach the volcano anymore either. From what Pearl and some of her teammates told me in their emails, the locals believed their presence had upset Pele."

Sherman paused in his cleaning to gaze at his father more attentively, eyes blinking in wonder. "The fire lady from Hawaiian mythology?"

_'Huh, weirdly appropriate,' _Keanu contemplated, sort of figuring the project resulted in the sort. Pele had always been a feisty gal.

"And because of it, the project was cancelled and for some odd reason I lost all contact with Ms. Leilani and her associates afterwards. I can only assume they dropped their private research occupation and joined this Lunar Energy Inc. later on."

Sherman and Keanu shared stares of suspicion. Something sounded iffy about that.

Peabody shared similar feelings. As a business tycoon, he prided himself on knowing the up-and-up on any and all potential rivals and allies, and in his eyes this Lunar Energy's recent emergence, conveniently paired with Pearl showing up after all these years and the "natural" mishaps, set him on edge. _'Something about this situation fails to fit and I intend to find out why.'_ And if Ms. Leilani refused to give answers, then Peabody would simply seek out answers from somewhere else. _'There's more than one place to catch fish after all.'_

So deep in his thoughts, Peabody never noticed the shadow behind him until a muscled arm suddenly wrapped around his torso and plastered him against his attacker's body, where he fell victim to a surprise tummy rub that left him struggling in great laughter.

"GAH! J-Jameson, unhand me this instant!"

His captor imitated a game buzzer going off in response. "Eh, wrong answer! Try again!"

"Sh-Sherman, do something!" To the prodigy's great misfortune, his son was too preoccupied with holding his sides and rolling about the floor in hysterics to rescue him. "Oh, that is it! Ha! Once I'm free, y-you both are in for a w-w-world of trouble! Hee, hee! Now release me!"

This time, his torturer blew a raspberry in his face. "Only if ya promise to lighten up!" Keanu knew how PB got whenever mysteries popped up and he had no intentions of letting some Scooby Doo drama spoil this night. PB was gonna chill out one way or another!

"Alright, alright, I promise!" the captive genius eventually conceded, "Now let me go! Please!"

Keanu promptly obeyed. The moment those arms let Peabody free, the beagle took time to give his ruffled fur a quick groom, straighten his bowtie back up, and rid his glasses of Keanu's spittle, all the while casting a subdued smirk on his mate, who grinned back without shame.

"You do realize I must now find a means to avenge myself."

The terrier simply shrugged, not fazed at all. "Go right on ahead. I like surprises."

"I most certainly will." With a huff Peabody fixed a stern gaze on Sherman, who'd finally recovered from his laughing fit and masked his hand over his grin to no avail, and wagged a finger at him. "As for you, I trust you have already made sufficient progress on your assignments?"

At the boy's honest nod, Peabody clasped his hands together in satisfaction. "Excellent! This leaves us a bit of free time. Keanu, I believe there was an art lesson you meant to give Sherman tonight?" His lips smirked. "That is unless you're still recovering from your _unfortunate _injury..."

"Ah, lo behold!" Keanu gazed at his hands in exaggerated wonder then shot them into the air. "It's a miracle!"

Mr. Peabody shook his head at the dramatic display, fighting the urge to share Sherman's bemused smile. When he passed by Keanu, however, on the way to his office he paused to dotingly whisper in his ear, "And thank you. I needed that."

"I aim ta ease," the terrier murmured back.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So what do you think he saw?"

Keanu took a pause from his painting to shift his view to Sherman as he and the boy stood side by side with one canvas and easel in front of each of them, brush and art palettes in their hands.

Their art studio was spacious with high beige ceilings and walls that accommodated a polished mahogany floor and a connected series of wide towering black-rimmed windows that offered a generous view of the New York cityscape. Before they adopted Sherman, Mr. Peabody built this place for Mr. Jameson's birthday, shortly after the terrier moved in. Whether to hone his artistic skills or have a quiet sanctuary for his thoughts, it quickly became the Hawaiian's favorite room. It only got better when little Sherman showed interest in his father's studio. With as much time as he could squeeze in between hospital stays, Keanu would happily spend the evenings walking his son through the steps and giving him inspiration for new subjects.

_'Man I'm gonna miss these days,' _Keanu mused. Oh wait, right, Sherman wanted an answer. "Don't know, but it's probably connected to the stuff _we've _been seeing. Did you notice the way he kept looking up during dinner with that 'something weird is up but I don't wanna look all weird and stuff myself so I'm being subtle about it' look?"

Normally Sherman would've found the description of Mr. Peabody's facial expressions humorous; in this case he nodded in full seriousness. While Keanu's confirmation to seeing the same oddness as him calmed his sanity, the boy thought back to when he caught Mr. Peabody looking Keanu's way earlier in the kitchen. "I don't think he hasn't mentioned anything to us because he doesn't trust us. Maybe he's just waiting for more evidence so we won't think he's crazy when he _does _tell us."

"Not that we can't relate," Keanu added as he and Sherman simultaneously added blues to their respective projects, "I don't wanna get sent back to the hospital just cuz of some supernatural crapola nobody else can see."

Sherman scrunched his face in thought. "Do you think these Lunar Energy people have something to do with it?"

Keanu's lips pursed. "Can't be too sure; best to keep our eyes and ears open, kiddo, especially for that Leilani lady. Ever since your dad and I met her this morning, I've been getting some weird vibes from her."

"In that case, you better tell Mr. Peabody. We'll at least have an easier time solving all this if you do."

True. Keanu sighed as he rubbed a hand over his head, however. "I'll tell him, but I don't know if he'll respond as calmly as you did." He still awed that Sherman hadn't run screaming from him the second this started happening.

Sherman shrugged. "I guess I was more confused than scared. And don't forget. Mr. Peabody's seen _plenty_ of crazy stuff!"

Again, true, but Keanu still felt uncertain. Setting aside his brush and palette on the easel, the terrier slumped onto his hindquarters, arms wrapped around his legs. He didn't like how things were going, not one bit. Too many what-ifs and could-bes, 'unknown variables' as Peabody might have put it.

He jolted at a hand rubbing his back and a fluffy mane leaning against his arm.

"Just because Mr. Peabody doesn't like stuff he can't solve and can't solve you doesn't mean he won't want you anymore. _I _wouldn't even be here if he acted like that."

To his own shock, Keanu found himself holding back a faint sob. His mind overflowed with the nine most painful words from the afternoon following the WABAC incident. When husband and son recounted how one boy's words spared Peabody from euthanization.

_The only mistake Mr. Peabody ever made...was me._

The evening Peabody shared his grievances over Sherman's adoption due to the court's demand to know the status of his and Keanu's relationship...and how Keanu himself insisted him to state they were merely colleagues, nothing more.

_I'm the only mistake you ever made, PB._

The night he lay bruised and scratched in his human mother's arms, frightened and confused by the cruelty subjected upon him earlier that day.

_Did Grandpa kick me cuz I'm a mistake, Mama?_

Mistake. Mistake. Mistake.

Tears rolled down cheeks of black fur, moment after moment of put-downs and discouragements weighing down the droplets' owner like a ball-and-chain. Keanu felt two small arms wrap around his waist and a cherub face smoosh into his back. This gesture caused something to broil in his chest...and it was not sorrow.

_'I am not—_we _are not mistakes. We're the best damn things that ever happened to that little dork. And no one's takin' us away from him. Not on my watch. Not without a fight.'_

Eyes closed tight, Keanu took a deep breath as he gently detached his son's arms from him. "Hey Sherman, I need you to keep watch for me."

At a loss, the redhead tilted his head. "Um, for what?"

"For Peabody. I'm off to have a talk with myself."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Same beach.

Same jungle.

Same ocean.

Same bunch of rocks.

But not a cloud in sight, let alone a giant pig-man. For once Keanu found the sunny atmosphere infuriating. Twisting to and fro, he wandered around the beach in search of his quarry. "Hey!" he called, hands to his mouth.

Though in no rush to reunite with his "dream self", especially with the image of Peabody and Sherman's bodies still burning in the back of his brain, Keanu knew the big guy was his best shot at understanding whatever the hell had been going on lately. Unfortunately said big guy was nowhere to be found this time—and Keanu's patience was draining fast.

"Look," the islander dog called, loud enough for his voice to echo throughout the beach, "if ya got any fancy cosmic crap to say, save it. You're the only lead I've got on what's been goin' on with me cuz going pig in front of my kid for a few seconds? Be thankful he didn't run screaming from me or else I'd be comin' after you for a whole other reason!"

His angry stalking took him to the shoreline, just shy of the lapping waves. A scan of the water horizon and still nothing even remotely pig-like. "If this is your idea of a joke then just know I am _not _laughing! You don't care about what might happen to PB and Sherm, fine! But this is _my _head and _my _heart, so don't think hiding from me is gonna do ya any good! Just come out and tell me straight up what's going on!"

Arms crossed over his chest and foot tapping against the sand, Keanu stood quiet for a few moments. Eventually he threw his hands in the air, scoffing. _'I should've known.'_

The instant he turned to leave for reality, a familiar voice echoed in his head, freezing him in his tracks.

_Do you remember?_

_'Ah, now he speaks,' _Keanu mused as he inclined his view skyward. "No. Remember what?"

_The woman you met this morning. Did another name cross your mind?_

Keanu shook his head, sincerely hoping this questionnaire was not a game. "All I know was that my gut kept telling me to recognize her, even though I swear we never met before today. Unless we knew each other in another life, then I have no idea what to tell—"

Suddenly a thought struck him, a rather impossible (or perhaps not so impossible) one. Orange eyes wide in realization, his voice came out soft and disbelieving as stepped meekly towards the ocean like one would their elder. "That's what it is, isn't it? I _did _know her as someone else. But who?" "Keanu struck a thinking pose. "And what would us knowing each other back then have to do with what's going on now?"

Whatever response the terrier expected from a voice in the sky, a sigh was at the bottom of the list. _I'm you, remember? My guess is as good as yours. That's why I came to you in your dreams last night, to get the ball rolling as you might say._

A derisive scoff passed Keanu's lips, the finale of that dream still burned in his mind. Voice in the Sky had one messed up way of gaining momentum.

_Look, I get that what I showed was extreme, but I had to make do with what I had. For someone who acts like a pupule nut, you've got about as much baggage as I do. The point is I know I knew her except my recollections of her are out of reach, including her name. Until we resolve that first, whatever's happening out in the world will keep affecting you too and vice versa._

Keanu shook his head, topsy-turvy from all this. "What _are_ you anyway? I'm the only one who can talk with you, you exist only in my head, _and _you just so happened to take the shape of a god that not only controlled the ocean and rain but holds sentimental value to me in particular since childhood. Do you exist or are you just a stress-induced nightmare messing with me?"

A heavy sigh resounded throughout the air. _Both in a way. I remember being somebody respected and feared, of commanding great power and vanquishing countless warriors. _

Okay, so this guy used to be a head honcho, most likely a chief. That still left too many questions. "C'mon, buddy, you know there's more than that. What else?"

_I remember lava for some reason...lots of it. Lava coming towards me. Lava trying to consume me. And I remember diving into the ocean for safety, changing into a—_

"A fish," Keanu finished in slowly dawning realization, "You turned into a fish." The shapeshifting...the ocean...

_Yes...yes, yes! It's finally coming back to me. There was this woman and a volcano and this deep sadness that's welling up in me at the thought of leaving them._

"Pele and Mauna Loa. You weren't just a warrior. You were a god." He spoke in a hushed tone, the truth cascading upon him like a massive wave. "_I _used to be a god. You're the real Kama Pua'a, aren't you?"

Pregnant silence filled the air as both terrier and voice reflected on this ponderous development.

Suddenly Keanu snapped his fingers. "Wait a sec, then we're talking about a joint effect here, two factors influencing each in opposite yet equal force. According to Pearl, the ocean stuff's only been bothering people yet could get worse which means _this_"—he gestured to his surroundings—"isn't at its worst yet either. There's still a chance to avoid the waters going Poseidon! Once we get you back your memory, all we gotta do is figure out the link in the effect and either put it to rest or cut it off!"

Complete utter silence.

_Uh..._

Hearing that response helped Keanu finally register his own words. The terrier blinked in perplexity, finger to his chin. "Did I just sound like Peabody for a moment there?"

_Yeah, you kind of did. Good thinking on your part, though. Apparently Peabody and Sherman aren't the only ones in that house with good heads on their shoulders._

Keanu could not resist perking at the appraisal, even if it was technically coming from himself (and if _that_ said nothing about his improving self-esteem then the islander hadn't a clue what would).

"Now then," he continued with a snappy clap of his hands. "All that's left is ta share my findings with—"

_Jameson?_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

...opened his eyes with a gasp at the familiar voice, greeted by the sight of an astonished Peabody standing in the studio doorway. A heavy sigh full of resignation escaped the terrier as he and Sherman stood up. "I look like a walking meat market again, don't I?"

Peabody furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes trapped in an uncertain gaze. His emerald eyes glanced between the dog-turned-pig and Sherman, the boy at a total loss for words at this point and wringing his hands rather fretfully as well, before taking a tentative step forward.

"Well...," his hands went behind his back, the beagle's way of establishing some order of control and calm, "you've retained your sense of humor, so I can safely conclude your general personality also remains intact." He angled his head a bit. "Are you feeling alright?"

Keanu rubbed the back of his head with an anthropomorphic cloven hand, trying not to balk at the fact that his fur remained unchanged in this form. "Yeah, all things considered"— he broke eye contact for a moment and chuckled forcedly—"as long as no one makes pork roast outta me, am I ri—"

Sensations of something cupping his cheeks cut him off. Before he could speak, Peabody gently turned his head forward, the two mammals now eye to eye and Keanu subsequently floored by the fascination rather than disgust he expected that shimmered in those verdant irises.

To his own credit, Peabody remained poised as ever, betrayed only by his expanded eyes as his hands gingerly stroked the tusks protruding from Keanu's rounded-triangular nose. He paused for a moment to marvel at the smooth nasal bone. "How long has this been happening? Better yet, how long have you known of this?"

"Honest?" At Peabody's faint nod, he threw caution to the wind and confessed. "This is my first time in front of _you._ I mean, with me knowing you've noticed. The actual first time—"

"Was earlier in front of Sherman, correct?"

Sherman and Keanu's jaws went slack. Chuckling despite the situation, Peabody promptly pushed them back closed. "Next time, pick a place where your voices _don't _have room to echo, much less where others are bound to walk by."

The other two family members blushed, shuffling their feet at their glaring mistake. Keanu cleared his throat and faced his mate with an apologetic grin. "Yeah, he noticed when he caught my reflection in the cooking pot he handed me. Just so you know, I was gonna tell you tonight."

"You fell asleep," Peabody retorted in a deadpan tone. "Talking, I might add."

That warranted a blush Keanu managed to fight down. "No, I went into 'super daydream mode' and had a talk with Kama Pua'a." At Peabody's bemused stare, he tapped his fingers together sheepishly. "Remember that nightmare we talked about on Saturday? With everything I'd heard today, I thought maybe there was something in it that could hint at something. Turns out I was right."

Sherman nodded in agreement. Keanu had filled him in on the details of the dream a few minutes before Peabody walked in (thanks in no small part to the ginger's insistence), so he was up to speed at this point, and since Mr. Peabody was here, now was a good time as any for Keanu to report what he and 'Kama Pua'a' discussed.

"Okay, here's what I managed to dig up so far..."

As the terrier shared his findings, Sherman compared them with what he remembered from the Hawaiian folklore Keanu loved to tell him. _'Let's see. Kama Pua'a controlled the rain and oceans but can't do that anymore now because he's someone else.' _The mention of the joint effect caught his ear, making the boy frown. _'But I don't think just keeping Keanu happy so the oceans stay happy would work...not for long anyway.' _

Keanu was right: this 'link' had to go. For both his sake _and_ the world's.

Only one question: how? Crossing his arms over his chest and shifting his view skyward, Sherman pondered with great focus on the matter. Usually Mr. Peabody came up with the solutions between the three of them; judging by the beagle's baffled frown at Keanu's claim of reincarnation (and of gods, no less), such was not the case. Hmm, then again, Mr. Peabody did not necessarily know everything, unbelievable as that was. Maybe they were simply looking for an expert in the wrong places.

Then an idea hit Sherman, eyes brightening at it. This one could prove risky, but it was worth a shot. "Mr. Peabody? Mr. Jameson?"

When both dogs directed their focus on him, the lad cleared his throat to steady his nerves, already knowing how at least one of them might react.

"We need to see Pearl."


	11. A Little Courage

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

_'That escalated quickly.'_

Keanu rethought his words, frowning as he turned off the faucet then stepped out of the shower, black fur soaked to the skin. Faintly shivering at the switch from warm water to cool air-conditioning, he shook himself dry, droplets flying everywhere.

_'On second thought, "escalate" is kinda harsh. "Tense" maybe?' _He nodded to himself. Yeah, that word fit perfectly.

Naturally Mr. Peabody initially hesitated in accepting Sherman's idea of confronting Pearl to find out what she knew about the link between Keanu's morphing, the alleged Kama Pua'a, and the strange oceanic patterns around the world. While he'd grown to better trust his son's ingenuity and capabilities since the WABAC incident, the proposal struck him as somewhat rash, flimsy as well.

First off, the possibility of an actual _spirit _being involved in all this, let alone Mr. Jameson being Kama Pua'a reborn as a mortal, remained up to debate. Despite the pair's conviction, which dismissed the possibility of delusion, let alone Keanu suffering a relapse (much to Peabody's silent relief), what if these dream interactions were part of a wild goose chase or even a trap?

What actual proof could back these claims up?

And if this _was _Kama Pua'a they were dealing with, what were his intentions?

Mr. Peabody had never met an actual deity before (mostly because of his, up until now, unchallenged lack of belief in such beings). Myths were known to mislead, so he had no idea of the true capabilities Keanu's 'other self' possessed other than the water manipulation and shapeshifting described in legends.

Second, Pearl's status of likely being part of this situation left many unknown variables up in the air. Chances are she could come out and tell the family the cause to everything just as easily as she could withhold information. What lengths would she go to protect her knowledge in case of the latter?

No, it would be too dangerous to seek the woman out without a plan, especially with Sherman tagging along. Peabody refused to risk exposing their boy to possible harm. He would've gladly kept Keanu out of this matter as well if the terrier were not in the literal center of this whole mess. In which case, they would simply have to make do with their current circumstances.

Sherman refused to be deterred.

_Dream or no dream, Mr. Kama said a part of him should recognize Pearl. If we don't have any proof that she and Keanu are reincarnations, then we also have no proof that they're not. She's the only plausible lead we've got._

Mr. Peabody ad Mr. Jameson had stood with expanded eyes, utterly gobsmacked at the flawless logic.

_And if you're that worried about what she might do, Mr. Peabody, then don't _we _set the terms? We contact her and ask her to meet us at whatever place we choose. And if she tries someplace shifty for a compromise, we don't give her an inch!_

Not a bad plan in Keanu's opinion. _Yeah, make her play by our rules! Nice one, kiddo! Let's not be too obvious, though. She'll know something's up if we get on her case. Maybe if we kept things vague enough..._

At that point, even someone as stubborn as Mr. Peabody could tell how adamant his boys were to go through with this plan. What sort of father and husband would he be not to support them, misgivings aside? To keep them out of this matter would have been grossly unfair anyway, now that he thought better of it.

_Very well. Keanu and I will make certain to contact Ms. Leilani first thing at work tomorrow. I know the perfect means of persuading our suspect. Now then, I do believe it is someone's bedtime._

Back in the present, Keanu had just finished drying himself and ran a hand over his 'hair', the damp obsidian fur that plastered to the swells of his tummy and muscles still shimmering under the bathroom lighting. On a whim, he looked over his shoulder at the empty tub.

Kama Pua'a reigned over the rain—Keanu internally winced at the pun—so...

_'Hmm, could I...?' _Turning around he crouched down and switched the faucet back on, the water running through the outstretched fingers of his other hand. Taking a deep breath, the terrier focused on the smooth flow and coolness, waiting for something in him to 'click' and do some awesome feat.

Nothing happened.

Huffing like a child just denied their candy, Keanu shut off the faucet once more then stood back up with hands akimbo, hardly minding the water dripping off them. _'Talk about anticlimactic. I was hoping for some Last Airbender stuff here. Guess powers don't transition between lives.'_

Which meant they'd manifested into raw energy without anyone to control it. That would mean the storms and tsunamis PB and Pearl discussed this morning were acting on their own accord, no mastermind involved.

So if no one had control over the rain in that case yet it still relied on Keanu and Kama somehow, then how to stop it in the first place?

Keanu rubbed a hand over his forehead, groaning. _'Man, this crap's starting to hurt my brain.' _ His mind flashed back to Peabody's wonder and shock at witnessing his previous transformation a minutes ago. _'And if _PB's _having a hard time wrapping his mind around this, we're in for a doozy.'_

"Keanu?"

The addressed turned his head towards the now open doorway. Ah, speak of the big-brained devil. Keanu smiled with a hint of tease. "Hey Peabs. If you came lookin' for some action, then please, there's plenty enough room. Just watch yer footin', there _might_ be a teensy drippage."

Like _that _was a new development. Jameson always left a mess after he showered. One could practically hear Peabody's eyes roll as the beagle, mindful of the small copious puddles, approached the larger dog. His emerald eyes gestured to the tub in a knowing light that indicated he'd been watching the other dog before making his presence known, meaning he also caught Keanu's slightly epic fail.

Realizing this, the terrier rubbed his nape self-consciously; when he opened his mouth to explain an amused Peabody held his hand out to silence him. "Always the curious one, hmm Jameson? Understandable. All the same..."

Grabbing a red towel off a nearby rack, Peabody finished his statement by tossing the item over to Keanu, who nimbly caught it with one hand. Already getting the message but not bothering to take his time, Jameson did a cursory mop up of the water, punctuating the task with a long hard wringing directly over the bathtub. Whipping the towel into the laundry basket on the other side of the spacious room, Keanu trudged back over to the beagle and regarded him with crossed arms and a childishly annoyed pout.

"There, satisfied?"

A smiling nod affirmed Mr. Peabody's content. Putting a hand on his fellow canine's back, he guided the larger dog out into and down the hallway. "My sincerest apologies your efforts proved fruitless, by the way. I must admit: the scientist in me had hoped for a spectacle as well."

_'To quote a certain genius: understandable'_ mused Keanu who wrapped an arm around his smaller mate and firmly held him against his chest, the prodigy's gait wavering for a moment from the action. "Eh, I'm kinda glad it didn't work. Catching up with Normal Me is hell enough. Can you imagine _this_," he pointed his nose down at himself, "with the ocean as backup?"

By this time, the pair had reached their bedroom. Peabody chuckled, rubbing circles into his mate's back affectionately, relishing the feel of still slick fur. "Oh I doubt you would have proved any more of a hassle. After all, what you _sea _is what you get."

Keanu groaned, pausing in the doorway to facepalm with his free hand, Peabody stopping alongside him. "Oh clam up with those puns already. You're just fishin' for compliments." His face went blank for a second before his eyes widened in exasperation. "Gah—damn it! Now you've got _me_ doin' it!"

Peabody clicked his tongue in faux admonishment as he removed his hand from Keanu's back, wagging the pointer finger of it along with his head, and sauntered over to the bed. "Tsk, tsk, such language, Jameson! I _schooled_ you better than that!"

Keanu marched up to his mate, who stood with his back to the mattress's side, and pointed a finger in the ivory dog's smug-tail face despite the smile threatening to take over his own countenance either.

"One more," the Hawaiian playfully growled. "I swear one more and you're sunk."

"Oh I'm certain I'll _drift_ right on by the consequences."

"I mean it, man. I'm about ready ta give ya a serious hook."

At this point, Peabody's smirk had become deliciously devilish, eyes pulsing with a glint at which Medusa would have shivered. Leaning in—slowly, tauntingly—he whispered in a voice smooth as sin, "Then _water _you waiting for?"

"THAT'S IT! C'MERE!"

Before he could blink, Peabody found himself tumbling back-first onto the bed, arms pinioned to the mattress and a dangerously smirking Jameson straddling him with a gaze that this time sent shivers down the_ beagle's_ spine. Keanu dove in for a deep lingering kiss (Peabody gladly reciprocated) before pulling back, close enough to whisper in his mate's ear.

"Probably already know...I'm scared about tomorrow. I mean drop-dead-wet-myself scared."

Peabody stiffened at this admittance; almost instinctively, his hands reached around to stroke Keanu's back while his head shifted so the two of them were face to face, his verdant eyes brimming with concern. "You realize you have the option to wait while Pearl and I—"

Keanu shook his head no. "I gotta be there to face her. It wouldn't help to avoid hearing her out, no matter how scared shitless I am. All I ask for is a simple life. With you, with you Sherman, with Penny and her family, with everyone...and I'm not gonna blow it by acting like a freaking coward."

He nuzzled Peabody, a faint yet sincere chuckle escaping him. "Besides, we haven't planned the wedding yet. Can't leave the smartest being in the world hanging at the altar, can I?"

For a few moments, Peabody could only gawk at Jameson in amazement...until at last he returned the laughter, tapping a finger against the terrier's beaming muzzle. "Keanu Aolani Jameson: the bravest man I've ever known, mortal or otherwise..."

As their nipping and wrestling amongst laughter and kisses settled into spooning each other in intimate silence, Peabody, as a tongue gingerly brushed against his throat, could not help but marvel in the back of his mind at his mate's carefree approach towards these unsolved revelations. _'One part of him I will always envy and know will never change...and one more reason to solve this all.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So act natural for now?"

Peabody nodded as he and Jameson walked to the conference room the next morning. They were speaking in whispers to avoid being overheard by the people commuting around them.

A little excessive in Keanu's opinion on account of the combined volume of so many feet and mouths working at the same time. Then again, a bit of paranoia can go a long way; there'd be no complaining from his end.

"Yes, there are always issues to discuss, which means there will be no need for us to give ourselves away by merely twiddling our thumbs." Peabody shrugged. "Besides, you always were a bad liar. The fact you haven't blurted out your secret recipe for pastry bombs yet astounds me."

Keanu's face twisted into an unamused glare. "Gee thanks, _sir._ Shall I jot down your latest quip down in my notes? Ya know, just in case anybody's in need of a clever comeback?"

"Oh good," the ivory pooch chuckled, "you could stand to benefit from the art of counterargument." Upon entry into the room, he turned his head forward. "Speaking of which, a potential business rival will be stopping by. It would be in our best interest to...um..." Words trailing off, the prodigy paused where he stood in the doorway, eyes focused straight ahead wide and unblinking.

Raising an eyebrow in concern, Keanu waved a hand in front of the beagle's face. "Uh, PB? Aloha? What's up?"

Peabody simply put a hand to Jameson's face without looking and turned it in the same direction as his.

Tangerine eyes expanded in surprise when they found Pearl sitting in the same seat as yesterday, typing away on her laptop as if nothing was out of the ordinary this morning. They hadn't expected to encounter the Polynesian beauty so early; if Keanu knew no better, he would have thought she'd been expecting them.

The terrier shook his head. _'Oh what the heck, she probably was. At this point, unless someone's about to sprout heads like that snake thing from Hercules, I don't think anything will surprise me anymore.'_

A terse 'ahem' cut Keanu's thoughts off and redirected his attention to Pearl, who noticed the two dogs out of her peripherals and regarded them with a friendly casual smile. "Hello, Mr. Peabody, Mr. Jameson. Is there something I can help you with?"

Clearing his throat and hands behind his back, Mr. Peabody approached with an easy gait and matching grin to keep the atmosphere suspicion-free. "Actually, indeed there is." His left hand gestured outward. "Ms. Leilani, my assistant and I would like to discuss with you a matter of high significance after work. That is, if you'll be available."

Deep down Keanu tensed in anticipation.

"Now that you mention it," Pearl slanted her head as she spoke, her eyes becoming serious. "There are a few things I'd like to talk to you about, as well, sir. To both of you, in fact. Some information I came across the other day piqued my interest and I believe you and Jameson might feel the same once you hear my findings."

Peabody perked his eyebrows (he pointedly ignored how Keanu's hackles calmly slumped) and clasped his hands together heartily. "Ah, then might I suggest the three of us meet some place to chat in relative privacy? I know a quaint little bistro just down the street—"

"I'd rather it be your home."

Peabody and Jameson narrowed their eyes at the sudden assertion. After a few moments of heavy silence, Pearl sighed tiredly and rubbed her eyes. "Listen, I know the real reason you came for me and, quite frankly, I'm almost insulted you didn't confront me about this sooner."

She removed her hand from her face, revealing her burdened expression. "Doesn't matter either way. I'll tell you two _and _your son everything you want to know. It's only fair you have an idea of what's been going on. Just...promise me to keep an open mind when the time comes, alright?"

Peabody, despite his calm façade, sloped his head and right eyebrow at the request. For a split second, part of him deliberated Pearl to be lying, stalling for time. One too many encounters with opportunistic rivals (Ms. Grunion to name a few) made one mistrustful like that.

Her eyes told a different story.

_'Oh my...,' _Peabody needed all his willpower not to recoil at the sheer exhaustion in those sepia irises. He'd studied in psychology long and thoroughly enough to differentiate between real emotion and faking—Pearl's was all too real to be faked.

Before he could speak up, he noticed Keanu step forward with a surprisingly unreadable face. Pearl, to her own credit, seemed hardly fazed at all. If not for the suspenseful atmosphere, the comical height difference that forced Pearl to gaze down at Keanu would have made Peabody chuckle. Instead he eyed the two Hawaiians warily, ready to pull his mate back at the slightest sign of trouble...only to release his breath in relief when Keanu smiled and gave Pearl a thumbs-up.

"Open minds: check," the terrier assured with a wholehearted wink and double thumbs up. "We'll see ya after Sherman gets back home."

As if someone had opened a dam in her heart, Pearl eased instantly, shoulders sinking in unspeakable reprieve just like her fellow islander's a few seconds ago, and nodded in gratitude towards Keanu's understanding. "Thank you."

Peabody regarded the pair with an amazed and slightly agape smile, proud of Keanu's ability to set others at ease with only a few words. Clearing his throat to get the others' attention, he refocused his attention on Pearl. "We will make certain to prepare for your arrival. I trust I need not warn you of the consequences in the event you choose to pose a threat to our family, particularly our boy."

Pearl rolled her eyes, not that she did not believe the beagle's threat. She'd seen and heard enough about the dog couple to know better than to harm Sherman. Hurting the kid wouldn't have served her much purpose in the long run anyway. "Easy, Papa Wolf. I get it. And Jameson..." Pearl hesitated, her eyes downcast for a moment. "I don't know if you can remember, but...I'm sorry."

Keanu pursed his lips, unsure how to answer since he knew she was referring to his past self. Like with Peabody, one look in her eyes cleared away his doubt. With a gentle shake of his head, he disarmed her with a sympathetic smile. "It's okay."

Pearl shook her head back in adamancy. "No. It's not"—she put a hand to her chest—"My decision..._Pele's _decision was for a good reason. But not a day went by that she never looked back on it with regret. For all her pride and power, nothing she could say or do could ever rectify the hole in her heart. Kama Pua'a wasn't just her equal." Her eyes softened. "He was also the only one to ever open her heart. He opened her eyes to something wonderful, something any deity would be blessed to have. And whatever becomes of this mess, I just hope that you don't lose sight of it."

Peabody and Jameson merely stared in awe, floored by both the sincerity in the young woman's words and the identity of her former life. Pearl chuckled as she flicked off a loose strand of ebony hair over her shoulder. "Sorry about that. I should know better than to get so emotional in a place of business."

Know better? Being parents, Keanu and Peabody knew exactly what she meant. The terrier shook his head with an empathic and more sincere grin. "Nah, you got every right to spill your guts like that. And don't worry," he and Peabody grasped each other's hand instinctively, "what I got ain't goin' anywhere."

The two dogs shared a loving smile.

"If you don't mind me asking, Ms. Leilani," Peabody took over next in a careful tone of voice, "not that I don't find your apology sincere, I am merely curious—what do you seek to gain from helping us?"

Pearl's light frown spoke dimensions. "Let's just say I know where Jameson's coming from. All too well."


	12. Hog Child

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

Sherman held a picture.

It didn't look like much, considering the slight bend in the upper left corner and the tiny tear diagonal from it—the direct result of Mr. Jameson and the photographer getting into a fight over the cost since "no picture should hafta gouge someone like a freakin' ice cream scoop, you straight up scam artist!"

A suppressed laugh echoed in the boy's throat. Keanu had not been having a good day at the time, so Peabody had figured—erroneously, it later turned out, much to the genius's dismay—that a trip to the park would combat the slump exacerbated by the bipolarity.

Needless to say, the park got a restraining order against them after that. Keanu made a point to smile proudly at every mention of it.

That only made the memory even sweeter in Sherman's opinion.

One could not deny the little boy and two dogs' jubilant smiles in the photo or the way they affectionately clung to each other despite the smaller dog's apparent bewilderment and the various dirt/grass stains that spotted both clothes and fur alike.

Sherman shifted his view over to the direction in which his other father had gone shortly after returning from work alongside Mr. Jameson. The beagle said something about 'looking into some off-to-the-side research'. Normally that in itself would not be unusual; several of the inventions Mr. Peabody concocted over the years had been done during downtime, after all.

The looks he'd tossed at Keanu just prior to leaving—_that _had caught Sherman's attention. What Peabody hoped to discover, Sherman could not fathom and his gut instinct dictated Keanu was in the same boat, so it'd be best to just hang around until Ms. Leilani arrived.

_'I wonder how Keanu's doing.'_

Seemingly on cue, faint ukulele strums reminiscent of Leona Lewis's "How Everything You Are" streamed in from the kitchen. Sherman turned his head in that direction to discover Keanu sitting on a stool just behind the breakfast bar that marked the kitchen/living room boundary, the ebony canine lost in his music-making as verified by his intent downcast eyes, absorbed in the crisp simple tunes while his trancelike focus left no hint to his inner emotions in this silent reprieve.

This impressed Sherman considering how open-booked the terrier usually tended to be. _'I guess those lessons with Mr. Peabody are really starting to pay off.'_

"But it's not that I don't care...and it's not that I don't wanna share..."

"Keanu?"

"Hmm?" The addressed broke out of his trancelike singing and fixed his son with patient expectant regard. "Yeah, little guy?"

"Do you think...," Sherman fiddled with the picture, "do you think Pearl will able to help?"

"Ya don't believe in her?"

The ginger shook his head. "It's not that. She and you used to be in love, so I think she really cares about what happens to you. It's just..."

A finger tilted his chin up, his eyes meeting the one trait he and Keanu shared despite their lack of blood relation.

"Then we just find another way. A Peabody never gives up."

"What about a Jameson?"

"They half-ass their way through with mayhem."

Sherman giggled. "Language, Mr. Jameson."

That same finger pushed the boy's head down like a button; Keanu's face looked convincingly serious. "Hey, I am not about ta euphemize an essential truth. Shit happens, just like J.R. Ward said in _Lover Mine._ Besides," his solemnity melted into an adorably idiotic grin, "that's what adds spice to life."

What little tension remained in the air evaporated, a round of laughter permeating it now as the ginger-haired boy and goofball terrier shared a hug that perfectly summarized their hope for the future, unaware of a pair of verdant eyes watching on with nothing short of love and relief.

Mr. Peabody, for all his usual confidence, had spent the last half-hour struggling to find a hint, much less a definite solution, capable of resolving this entire matter. The search did not come up short, per say; on the other hand, it did not bear much promise either. If anything, the beagle realized the full depth of what he and his family were contending with. This was beyond any calculation or experimental testing; it was organic, a problem seated in fields a scientist might have balked at.

Then again, science in itself was not narrow-minded. It could react, could grow, and most importantly could adapt. That was simply part of its nature...just like with this family.

_'This beautiful, beautiful family.' _He carefully cut the tender moment off with a gentle yet audible ahem. Once he obtained the attention of four curious orange eyes, Peabody gestured a hand to the kitchen. "Would you like to prepare some tea for everyone, Keanu? You always did brew up a mean green tea."

Because judging by the cryptic answer Pearl ended their earlier conversation with, Peabody had a feeling they'd be needing a _lot_ of the beverage.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Keanu was enjoying himself right now. Very, very much.

Okay granted, he ought to feel some sympathy for Pearl at the moment and, to be honest, he didn't mean any malice in finding amusement in the poor woman's predicament. He just found this too humorous a moment to pass up. _'It's not every day I get ta see someone else go through our kid's zest fest.' _

A slight exaggeration, as Keanu was prone to. The boy was energetic but not a firecracker like Penny. Still Sherman could be a real handful at times due to his curiosity. Seated on the plushy red chair in front of the sofa occupied by Mr. Peabody and his son (Keanu was in the kitchen, pouring in the hot water for the tea), their visitor looked perfectly lost for words as the fascinated boy calmly yet insistently fired question after question at her.

"Can you really make volcanos explode then?"

"Uh..."

"Does that mean you have friends who are gods, too?"

"Ur..."

"Wait, doesn't that mean you could be a superhero if you wanted to?"

"W...Well—"

"Sherman," gently admonished Peabody, who accepted a cup of tea with a dash of lemon (his favorite) from Keanu, though there was no mistaking the slight smirk on the prodigy's face as well, "I understand your interest but please do give our guest a bit of space."

The ginger obediently did so; he put his hands in his lap and gave the lanky Polynesian woman an apologetic face "Yes Mr. Peabody. Sorry, Ms. Leilani."

Pearl blinked once before offering an unsure smile. Children were evidently not her strong point. "Uh, no problem. To answer all your questions at once: no, I can't do that anymore, I have no friends who are, used to be, and hopefully will never _be_ gods, and lastly, while I don't have any superpowers, I do have certain talents that distinguish me from other people."

Sherman perked at that last part, as did his dads to a lesser extent. "Like what?"

Pearl crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. "Like for instance," she nodded her head, "I'm particularly good at seeing flaws in nonliving objects: buildings, vehicles, artwork, landforms etc. One look and I instantly know which could fall apart and needs reinforcement." She smirked a little. "A ton of architects have even asked me for help with their projects."

_'Ah, so that explains her acing some of her classes.' _Mr. Peabody hummed, impressed. He could recall Pearl aiming for a degree in Architecture back then—and doing quite well at that. Apparently being an ex-goddess in tune with the structural integrity of the planet had its benefits.

_'Hmm, that's got me thinking...' _Keanu put a hand to his chin before asking in an interested tone, "So I'm guessing...?"

"That it's the same way with..." Pearl continued for the terrier, already knowing the question, only to pause and scrunch her face up in uncertainty. She twirled a finger at the ebony dog in a 'help-me-out-here' fashion. "Uh, what exactly _is _your special talent?"

"My 'super-duper daydream mode'?" Keanu chuckled at her bemused countenance, as did Peabody and Sherman. The terrier put his hands up in playful surrender. "Hey that's my name for the patent. Sue me. Don't know what it has to do with being a pig-man version of Moses, but I'll take what I've got."

Thoughtfully Pearl put a thumb to her chin. "True. Maybe it wasn't your past self's powers that decided it but his personality and experiences." At the others' inquisitive stares, she elaborated. "What I mean is Kama Pua'a is a child at heart, just like you. No one ever gave him the love he craved, so maybe your talent is a manifestation of his wish to escape from his lonely reality."

Keanu mused with wistful sigh. _'That sounds familiar alright. My life's not always a bowl of cherries either. Then again, whose is?' _A hug on his left arm and a furry presence on his lap revived his optimism. _'What counts is what you make it to be, just like mom would say.'_ Returning Sherman's hug and wrapping his other arm around Peabody, Keanu faced Pearl with a sincere smile. "For what it's worth, I hope he can feel what I feel. That's why I think it's time we cut to the chase. Poor guy's been on his own long enough."

Peabody nodded in agreement, his face somber as he put down his teacup onto a coaster on the table between his family and Pearl. "Could you enlighten us as to why the aquatic phenomenon as of late connects to Keanu's...," he stole a look over his shoulder at the terrier as if half-expecting him to shapeshift again, "situation?"

Pearl heaved a heavy sigh. "Honestly, Peabody? I'm not sure the exact way this works either. When it started happening to _me_, all I was told was that the sooner I came to terms with who I am, the better off my second life would be."

"And who told you that?" inquired Sherman.

Opening her mouth at first as if to answer, Pearl stopped herself, seeming to think better of it, before taking a deep breath. At Peabody and Jameson's suspicious looks and Sherman's concerned stare, her exhale carried an air of guilt. "I'm sorry. It's...not my place to disclose that information. I'd be in trouble for just being here." Her eyes grew mischievous. "For example, I _shouldn't _say that Keanu's right: Kama Pua'a has been carrying a lot of baggage throughout his life, and judging by what you guys described so far, I'd say it's high time for that baggage to be settled once and for all."

All at once, Peabody felt a sudden bizarre amalgam of fear and hope. On the one hand, he would gladly appreciate and support any attempt intended to help Keanu come to terms with himself; on the other, worrisome thoughts deluged his mind. Strong-willed as the terrier was, the beagle had seen enough over the years to recognize that even someone as resilient as Jameson had their limits. Peabody willed these thoughts away immediately, knowing it'd be best to take a page out of Keanu's book. Pessimism would serve no use in this situation.

Calling upon his natural calm, Peabody steepled his fingers and leaned his elbows onto the table, all the while fixing upon the Hawaiian woman a stern gaze. "I question the tactics of your superiors regarding their attitude towards this situation. It brings to question what they'd hope to gain from all this and judging by your being here, I take it would not be in Keanu's best interest to concede to their demands. So tell us; how do _you_ propose we settle said baggage?"

Pearl released a huff of air. "It'll be a little complicated from what I can remember of it because Pele had trouble trusting me at first. The time she first interacted with me coincided with my time on the Mauna Loa project, so she did not take my interference with her volcano well. Kama won't be as bad because Keanu's had a support system for most of his life. It was harder for me since I wasn't as fortunate in that regard."

Keanu almost made to ask yet refrained, feeling that might be too personal.

"Anyway," Pearl continued, "I guess I don't have to tell you that the link between you and the ocean is a joint effect, right?" Keanu nodded. "Then you can call out Kama so he can experience your life firsthand. Don't worry, you'll still be all you. Your past and present lives will simply become more coherent. Once that happens and Kama fully integrates into you, his powers will be forfeit to nature and the oceans and rain return to normal."

With a heavy sigh, the terrier rubbed his nape. "Yeah about that. I've been getting some second thoughts that I swear aren't mine. Any ideas on how ta lure the big guy out?"

"I believe I have the solution," Peabody immediately spoke up as he turned towards his mate, "Keanu, do you remember how you and I would play Hide and Seek as puppies?"

The ebony dog good-naturedly scoffed. "How could I not? I could _never_ win against you. And the only way you could ever get _me _to come out of hiding was imitating my favorite cartoon characters." He chuckled at his own childhood gullibility...only to freeze in realization then regard the smaller dog with wide eyes. "Hang on, you're not suggesting that..."

Peabody nodded firmly. "We mimic the voice of someone who elicits strong emotions in him. Fortunately," he trailed off as he pointedly turned his gaze towards the lone female in the room.

Quick as a whip, Pearl caught on and rolled her eyes. "Somehow I just knew it would come to this. Alright, Pele and I have more or less the same voice, so I'll give it a shot. Just don't sue me if this backfires."

Standing up then approaching the family with a purposeful stride, she faced Keanu and got to her knees so she and the terrier were eye to eye. Stare full of intent and mind calling on what memories she could gather from her past life, the Polynesian mentally sighed, _'Here goes hopefully something.'_

"You are too powerful," she began in a faint yet powerful tone of voice, "I cannot be queen with someone who dwarfs my might at my side."

Peabody noticed the fingers of Keanu's left hand clench into a fist for a quick second. How odd. The beagle paid close attention to the other dog's entire body to catch any other telltale signs.

"Take to the valleys of Mohala and I will claim this region as my own," Pearl continued. In truth, the Polynesian was feeling more and more as if she were having an out-of-body experience; these words belonged to her, yes, yet not _her_-her. Difficult to explain and even more so to decipher her own feelings regarding it. "Perhaps one day, though, you will find someone with whom you can remain."

Sherman worriedly furrowed his brows at the tears he noticed leaving Keanu's eyes.

Pearl noticed as well and therefore hesitated. But only for a split moment. She had to take the plunge, her higher-ups be damned. _'I may have failed others before but I'm not about to fail _you._'_

With a deep breath, she spoke clear and true, "I am sorry."

All hell broke loose.

In the blink of an eye, Keanu leapt off the couch, Pearl managing to somehow shoot up and back away just in time to avoid being knocked over by the surprisingly infuriated dog, orange eyes burning with untold rage and hurt.

"Sorry? SORRY?! THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY, HUH?!" For every word, he marched closer and closer to Pearl, the woman holding her ground yet unable to hide the guilt in her eyes as she listened. "AFTER EVERYTHING I WENT THROUGH FOR YOU, EVERY SINGLE DAMN WOUND I LET YOU INFLICT ON ME, THIS IS ALL YOU GIVE ME IN RETURN?!"

Sherman could only watch in horror and sympathy at this drastic change in his father and best friend.

Peabody merely stared on, eyes unreadable.

"MAYBE IF YOU STOPPED BEING SO HIGH AND MIGHTY AND CLIMBED OFF OF YOUR LITTLE THRONE OF BLUSTER AND FUME FOR ONCE, YOU'D SEE JUST HOW LONELY POWER IS IN THE END!"

In the initial moments of silence, the being who looked and (for the most part) sounded like Keanu stood heaving and heaving his breath, eyes wild and satisfied as like those of a newly made alpha male.

Once reality began to sink in, however, his senses returned. The stares of everyone in the room, stares all focused on _him, _shrunk his pride in the blink of an eye. Slowly and with dread, his eyes shifted downward and grew wide at what they discovered: his hands and feet now cloven, three digits for each. He did not have to feel for the familiar bones protruding from beneath his nose and fur-tipped tail wagging apprehensively behind him to know their presence.

A complete contrast to the souls around him. Why hadn't they left yet? Why hadn't anyone screamed yet? What were they waiting for?

Did he dare look anyone in the eye? No, the idea alone paralyzed him...until a smooth cultured voice pierced the brooding storm of his mind.

"A pleasure to meet you, Kama Pua'a."


	13. Clear Depths

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

Sherman had seen many incredible and unbelievable things in his life so far. Mr. Peabody was responsible for over half of them. Not that Keanu lacked his own share of...interesting achievements.

For example, who else could say they'd been accommodating a disgruntled hog god, let alone doing it without going insane? Because after Kama Pua'a dashed out of the living room and into the hallway, leaving the others to chase after him for fear of him doing something drastic, Sherman swore he caught a flash of concern in the pig's fearful orange eyes. While Mr. Jameson might not have been behind the wheel anymore, you couldn't say he was laying around on his tush waiting for something to happen.

The ginger-haired boy released a sigh of relief he had not realized he'd been holding. At least Kama's awakening did not drown the terrier's consciousness, let alone erase it. Things were overwhelming enough as they were.

The trio soon found the escaped deity in the master bedroom, hidden beneath the silky red sheets and struggling in vain to keep his tremulous sobs from being heard.

Sherman's heart broke at the sound.

Power. Anger. Arrogance. Selfishness.

Though Sherman knew better than to paint others in such a harsh light, for all the mythological figures and deities Mr. Peabody and Mr. Jameson ever told him of, these traits always stood the most prominent. No moral qualms, no regrets, no second thoughts as to how an action might affect others. The broken figure hiding himself away shattered these expectations. In that instant, he sounded too much like Keanu had that one time he and Peabody, scared out of their minds, found a four-year old Sherman lost on the edge of the crowd on the march to Selma.

Something had to be done. One tiny step forward, the boy cleared his throat and spoke in a meek voice, "Mr. Kama?"

Stiffening for a tense second then slumping, a voice too much like Keanu's for comfort grunted with half-hearted bite, "Go away, child. I'll disappear soon, so don't waste your breath lecturing me."

These words did not deter the child. Feeling a little braver, Sherman approached the distraught being, too focused to notice Pearl reaching out to stop him or Mr. Peabody holding her back. Once he reached the bed, he hopped up next to the taller lump that refused to face him. He began to reach a hand out, only to think better and withdraw it the last second. There was no telling how Keanu's former self would react to being touched. "Why didn't you just come out earlier? We would have helped you."

_Kid's got a point, _the aforesaid terrier agreed.

A faint scoff met both of these assurances. "You can't exactly talk when you're stuck in someone's subconscious; you were right to have Pearl lure me out. Why else would I talk to Keanu the way I have? It was all I had...at least until I could get what's left of my shapeshifting to kick in."

Sherman tilted his head, curiosity piqued. "Was that your way of asking for help?" Leaning back on his hands, he could barely see the end of Kama's snout twitch as if the pig spirit meant to speak.

Said spirit froze in mid-gape. A thoughtful hum echoed from him, shoulders shrugging. "I...guess it was. I'm not gonna waste my breath explaining how long I've been aware of myself, or how long I've been looking through Keanu's eyes, feeling what he feels, cause I don't know either. Bottom line, he and I are the same." A heavy resigned sigh emanated from him. "Only thing is he's wanted. I'm not."

At last, Kama shifted his head, glancing at Sherman out of the corner of his eye. "Everything he never wants to be," he murmured in profound sadness, "that's me. All his ugliness, all that bitterness and anger he hides behind that big stupid grin of his," indeed, anger seeped into his voice like acid, "that's all me. Heck, I bet I'm the reason his mind's so messed up in the first place."

Then as quickly as the anger came, it rushed away, like air out of a deflating balloon. "I envy him. That's the other reason I caused his form to change: attention. Got tired of sitting in the back of his head, watching and hearing but never having it. I want to experience the kind of love Keanu gets." His gaze turned downcast. "Let's be honest. Even a brute like me knows better than to think you and your dad would accept a thing like me. You want Keanu back, you can have him. I'm better off fading away into the background of his mind where no one needs me."

Hoofed hands clung tighter to the fabrics. Unshed tears stung at his eyes. "It's what I deserve, after all. I'm nothing but a—" his words drowned in a gasp at the feel of two small arms hastily snaking around his middle and a warm soft face burying itself into his back.

"You're not a mistake."

Despite their soft-spoken volume, the conviction in Sherman's words more than the words themselves rocked Kama to his core. Breathing suddenly became difficult—and not because of the tight grip around his waist—his tears gained strength, and he could feel Pele and Peabody's eyes boring into him, judging his every move.

So why did he feel so...light? Kama wanted to scowl at and push off and order the little one to stay away yet could not. Sherman's embrace somehow kept the bad thoughts at bay. Ease and happiness no longer seemed fleeting. How could one child be capable of that? And without powers?

_Don't need any power when you've got heart._

Heart. The one word that Kama thought eluded him for so long, _still _thought eluded him. Was Keanu telling the truth? Reluctance continued to grip like a ball-and-chain. "How can any of you live knowing something like me lives inside someone you care about?"

Pele—_Pearl's _eyes flickered empathy belied by her crossed arms and nonchalant lean against the wall. "We all have parts we're not proud of. Doesn't necessarily mean those parts have to be bad."

Peabody broke the silence next. "They're both right. We love Keanu, for better or worse. That includes you." As he approached, the white beagle fixed a stern gaze on the bipedal black-furred pig in a blanket, resisting the urge to snicker out a pun. "Now see here, though, Kama. While I understand your concerns, you must consider Keanu's needs as well. Your shapeshifting has proven irksome to not only our family life, but his readjustment. If you truly wish to live this second life in peace—"a stubborn grumble interrupted him but Peabody did not miss a beat—"you must learn to coexist with us."

He cocked his head to the side, emerald eyes softening, Kama breaking eye contact out of reflex. "Do you truly prefer to live like this?"

The former demigod of water nervously bit his bottom lip. Looking from Peabody to Pearl to Sherman then back to Peabody, he shifted around until face to face with the ivory canine, who could still see some distrust in those tangerine eyes. "How do I even know I can trust you? You don't even know if you can trust _me_."

Peabody smiled empathetically. "Just have to take a chance, won't we?" He reached a hand out.

Kama hesitated. For all his fears and cynicism, he wanted this so desperately, but...the fear of rejection, of failure, of not being good enough...

_No one's gonna leave you out to dry. They're your family. They only wanna help._

_'They only wanna help _you_,' _retorted the hog._ 'My existence poses a danger to the world. If I go away, the oceans will calm down anyway. Isn't that reason enough to let me fade?'_

_Forgetful, aren't we? I'm you, remember? Therefore, ergo, and thusly they wanna help you, too. _

Kama wearily shook his head. Damn Peabody's influence; now even Keanu was making sense. The worst part: so was everyone else. With all the facts against him, he had only two choices: disappear or take it like a warrior and accept his fate, for better or worse. _'So why am I letting my fears control me? I once went toe to toe with Pele, of all beings, let alone survived unscathed—well in body anyway. This second life has everything I could ever want.'_

But not at Keanu's expense. Kama was no demon. If he wanted this life to work out, he had to learn to incorporate into the terrier's self; that included coexisting peaceably with these mortals as well. The porcine looked up to see Peabody's hand still extended out to him. Waiting.

Against all fear, he finally took it... for Peabody to deliver a swift peck to the back of it. Kama blushed profusely, the warmth lingering on his fingers even after those lips departed. When that feeling intensified at the loving gaze the mortal gave him, the demigod looked away with a flustered and tepid scowl. _'Damn bastard, thinking he can just sweet talk me like this. So what if he's got good brains and the looks to match?' _He faced Peabody, mouth ready to let off a scalding insult in hopes it would send the beagle away, only to hesitate at those green forest eyes.

Their sincerity.

Their openness.

Their confidence.

Keanu told the truth. Peabody truly wanted to help him. That revelation took the demigod off guard, leaving him with no idea what to say.

True to form, Peabody jumped on the opportunity. "If you'd like, I could bring you some of the tea Keanu made earlier."

"No don't trouble yourself," Pearl suddenly spoke up, something in her wide smile and overly casual tone sending shivers done Kama's spine, "I'll get it. You three take _all _the time you need to get acquainted."

Kama's jaw went slack. He could not believe his ears! _'Oh no she wouldn't.' _He caught her wink. _'Oh she would.'_

"Thanks, Miss Leilani!" Sherman innocently chirped, having dislodged himself from Kama's waist to wave a hand at the lady as she went out the door.

"Ah yes, thank you, Pearl!" Peabody likewise beamed, wise to the woman's game yet appreciative of it all the same, "In the meantime, we'll see if we can't make a breakthrough with this yet."

Pearl waved a dismissive blasé hand. "Oh don't worry, Peabody. Between your smarts and Sherman's sweetness, I'm all too sure you will."

Kama could easily imagine her shit-eating grin as she took her leave. His left eyelid twitched minutely in irritation yet before he could cuss up a storm (mentally since Sherman was here—even former gods need to have decorum), he felt the bed bounce a little from a new body.

_Pea_body to be more exact. Crossing his legs and clasping his hands together, the beagle regarded Kama with a friendly grin. "Well, now that we have the chance, why not share a bit about yourself, Mr. Kama?"

The unexpected question and formal address made the spirit nearly forget his annoyance at Pearl, making the hog spirit eye the dog weirdly. "Keanu and I are the same person," he started in a slow pace, "you've known him for almost your whole life, and the two of you have been together since he graduated from high school."

"And yet not exactly the same person, are you?" gently retorted the prodigy with a knowing perk of his eyebrows.

"Yeah," Sherman added, "all Mr. Peabody and I know about you is from what Keanu told us; I don't even think _he_ got to meet you before tonight. Now's the perfect chance to be face to face with the Hawaiian spirit of rain and agriculture."

Kama decided against rolling his eyes. He'll admit the kid was starting to grow on him but seriously. "First off, forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm or my secrets to farming. Second, you're thinking of Lono. I'm the superhuman _associated _with him."

Sherman made a silent 'o' before his knowledgeable mind bounced back. "You're still about fertility since you had power over the rain."

Kama snorted. Like he needed reminders about how powerless he was now. The only pro to that line of thinking was that Pele—Pearl, he had to keep reminding himself—sat in the same boat. Judging by her behavior, though, she did not seem bothered by that fact. Hard to believe considering the dignity and cockiness that characterized Pele besides her temper. If she stayed the fire spark Kama remembered, she would have most likely burned this city to the ground, a thought that filled him with odd distress.

_'GRR! Why I am being so sappy?' _A light grind of his teeth later, he retorted, smug grin and all, "Keanu is abnormally strong and so am I. With the right aiming, I could crush this building with one hand if I wished to."

Sherman merely blinked, hardly nonplussed at the boast. "You'd have to deal with the authorities if you did that. You're still subject to the laws of our world."

Kama zipped his mouth shut at this point, bravado wrecked to pieces by a child. A smarmy chuckle reminded him of Peabody's presence, the beagle no doubt amused by seeing a god lose an argument to an eight year old. Either way, Kama tossed a glare at the genius in hopes it would shut him up.

To no avail for the beagle replied with an unabashed smirk, "I must say, you and Keanu do share the same glare and childish tendencies. You could almost be brothers, let alone twins."

The pig-dog huffed in an attempt to hide his growing fascination. _'This one has some real guts talking to me like that. Not that I'm surprised. Even I could never stay mad at him.' _Kama's own eyes flickered over Peabody's lean pudgy form only to tear away with closed-shut eyelids. _'Ugh, why did Keanu have to fall in love with someone so charming?'_

"Before you made yourself known to Keanu, did you ever share in what he felt?" At Kama's look of confusion, Peabody elaborated. "Did you ever take the time to walk in his shoes or see through his eyes and experience life for yourself?"

At Kama's dark blush, the genius chuckled. "Understandable. Given what you've had to endure, it's only natural you'd be hesitant in wanting the same love we give Anu. You can still have that, if you'd like. Only difference is that you would not have to hide. You and he could be at peace with one another _and _be happy with this life."

Kama could only shake his head, disbelieving at the words he was hearing. This all sounded too good to be true and yet even after everything he'd lived through, as himself and through Keanu, Kama Pua'a could not bring himself to reject such an offer. The reason why was simple. _'I'm tired of being alone.'_

_So why not start now?_

Before Kama could think up a proper response, he flinched at the feel of Sherman's arms wrapping around him again, the older male's arms out like an awkward letter T. Before, whenever this happened, all he noticed from within Keanu's mind would be the sensation of touch it brought about. He never bothered to register it any further. This time, a sense of bliss flooded his body, a calm that assuaged his fears perfectly. Deep warmth accompanied it and drove away the coldness of ancient isolation. For the first time ever since he and Pele first embraced millennia ago, peace enveloped him.

It was wonderful. New and a little scary yet wonderful.

_Yep, your first hug in millennia! Welcome to one of the joys of being me._

Kama nodded to himself with a faint grin. _'I see. So this is how you feel when Sherman does this. I guess I missed out on more than I thought.' _He returned the embrace, taking care not to crush the child. _'I could learn to like being you, Keanu.'_

All the while, Peabody calmly watched on. Though his face was unreadable, the corners of his lips became tight to fend off an impending smile. He had to give their son credit; Sherman's actions proved that kindness could bring about great results.

The prodigy did not kid himself. This matter had not settled just yet. It would need time to be fully resolved, or at least enough for everyone to move on. Chances were it may behind some scars due to not only Keanu's past hardships but Kama's as well.

Peabody remained hopeful regardless. _'We've gotten this far. I believe we have what it takes to see it through.'_

Pearl would agree, unbeknownst to the family as she peeked in on the heartwarming scene from around the jamb, her grin full of satisfaction.

She hadn't lied about getting the tea for Kama. Keawe knew how deep her former lover's suffering and loneliness ran. Just because they were no longer together did not mean she no longer cared for the pig spirit's well-being, past life be damned.

Still she knew she'd done all in her power to help this family and did so excellently, a fact she'd gladly admit with pride. Her higher-ups could reprimand and demote her all they wished. As long as Kama was happy with this life, the ex-goddess of fire would gladly face a hundred firing squads if it meant seeing the big goof smile again.

_'The rest is up to you and your boy, Hector,' _she mused as she gently hip-checked the door and made her way in, cup of tea in hand, _'Make it count.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Thanks for the help, P," Keanu shook hands goodbye with Pearl, the young woman standing on the threshold as the PB n' J family saw her off, "We owe you one."

"No problem," the smiling woman pulled out a folded slip of paper out of her chest pocket and handed it to the terrier. "Here's my number. I'll be checking in from time to time."

Mr. Peabody peered over his glasses in interest. "Are you allowed to do that?" Despite the current elation concerning Keanu and Kama's breakthrough, he hadn't forgotten his earlier suspicions regarding Lunar Energy's executives. The last thing he wanted was Pearl getting in trouble simply because she reached out to someone.

"Nope," Pearl admitted with a pop on the 'p' and a brisk shake of the head, hardly nonplussed by the repercussion of her actions, "My resignation letter will be in tomorrow anyway so no need to worry there."

Her confidence put the beagle at ease, so Peabody produced a card from Keanu's own shirt pocket and handed it to their departing guest. "Well if you ever need employment, there will always be a spot available in my company in case you're interested," Peabody punctuated with a wink, shaking hands with Pearl next. Good to know they'd made a friend out of this strange situation, not to mention an ally in the event Lunar Energy chose to make a big deal out of this in the future.

The sentiment did not go unshared. Keanu draped an arm around the smaller dog's shoulders. "Or hey we'll even serve as reference if you go somewhere else. Give us a call and we'll deliver. Or heck if you just wanna hang out or something. Maybe even take a spin on the WABAC."

Well that was awfully nice of them to offer. Pearl nodded in thanks before waving. "Thank you, Mr. Peabody, Mr. Jameson. I'll think about it. Goodnight everyone."

A bow from Peabody. "A pleasant night to you as well."

A two-fingered salute from Jameson. "Aloha!"

And a happy wave from Sherman. "Bye, Miss Leilani!"

Then she left, never looking back.

_She'll be okay. She's always been a tough one._

Keanu embraced the chuckle bubbling from his throat. His other could not be any closer to the truth.

"Something funny, Anu?" Peabody asked.

"Nah," the Hawaiian kissed his love's cheek, "just happy, PB. Very, very happy."


	14. Altogether

**I would like to thank everyone who's taken the time to review, favorite, follow, or even simply read this fanfic. Honestly, I've been a little scared to continue this for a number of reasons: one, the slash; two, the use of OCs; and three, the use of the supernatural.**

**In short, I've had the audacity to do a lot of things out of the norm for a Mr. Peabody and Sherman story. The fact people enjoy it regardless gives me the strength to continue on.**

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

A cabinet door closed on a recently returned medicine bottle. A sigh of satisfaction broke the silence of the kitchen as Keanu stepped out into the living room, bottle of water in hand, his aloha shirt for the day consisting of pristine nighttime oceans full of vibrant fish and beaches bordered by palm trees and mountains.

Just like clockwork. Not that Keanu gave the routine medication much thought anymore. He'd gotten used to this task a long time ago; better this than the breakdowns he suffered back when the symptoms first started.

_'This lets little ol' me smile easier.' _ Not to say having an experienced lover lacked its own spirit lifts. Keanu leisurely rolled his shoulders from the pleasurable massage Peabody administered on his person earlier this morning. _'Now then, let's see what time period Honeypup has in store for us this fine day.'_

_We're seeing Jimi again, right? I always liked him._

Keanu nodded to himself as he finished off his water. Then he refilled his bottle at the sink and went to drop it off in the master bedroom on his way to the WABAC server room since Peabody strictly forbid against any liquids near the equipment. _'Ditto. But Peabody never takes the WABAC to the same time twice in a row. I prefer that; it's a ton more fun.' _Keanu smiled when he sensed Kama chuckling. _'What? You and I both enjoy life. It's part of why we're still here.'_

_True. Have you noticed the way he's been acting today, though?_

Keanu paused in his steps, thoughts sent churning by his other self's words. Now that Kama brought it to his attention, there _had _been some irregularities in PB's behavior. Nothing bad or worrisome, mind you, let alone glaringly obvious—the world's smartest being knew better than to show his whole hand in one go. Just subtle enough hints that Keanu would get curious.

This was one of the beagle's many ploys at manipulation.

_'He's got an angle. Question is what?' _By this time, Keanu arrived in his and Peabody's bedroom, where he absentmindedly set his bottle down on the nightstand then promptly walked back into the hallway, making sure to close the door behind him before leaning one hand against it, mind a swirl with hunches. _'Got any ideas?'_

A scoff echoed in his mind. _Why ask me? We're the same person, remember?_

Keanu bit back a smile. That repetitive retort relieved him.

The last three days with Kama proved surprisingly docile much to everyone's relief. While he let Keanu have free reign of their main personality, there were times the pig spirit's influence peaked through, mainly during arguments or moments of depression. The medication helped even out the latter and either Peabody or Sherman (sometimes both) were present to keep him calm, even when they were the ones he was arguing with, so no harm done.

All the same, the PB n' J family, along with Pearl and even Kama, agreed that this matter remained between only them. Not like many would believe them anyway, and there'd be too many risks to take with those who _would_ or at least— Lunar Energy for one since there was no telling how _that _group would respond to this arrangement.

No, knowledge of Mr. Jameson's newest "tenant" stayed in this penthouse.

At least Kama got more used to Sherman and Mr. Peabody in the time being. Heck, Keanu would bet his salary _and _video games that his other half became rather fond of them.

Straight from the get go, Sherman captured the pig spirit's heart, eager to know more about the other side to his dad and make him feel welcome and appreciated. It had been so long since anyone embraced Kama for who he truly is. Even then, no one before had ever accepted him so willingly. In terms of Steven Universe, the big guy had become Lapis, the distraught water spirit opened up by a cheery optimistic tyke with no sense of reality.

No wonder Kama became so protective of the boy. For example, yesterday when Sherman almost got run over by an erratic roller-skater on their way to a picnic with the Petersons in Central Park, it took both the child and beagle's joint efforts to hold back the terrier and convince him not to pummel the terrified teen due to Kama's encouraging fury adding to his own.

Peabody took a little more time for the Hawaiian spirit to trust, mostly because the hog felt uneasy around those unreadable green eyes. Luckily, winning hearts was just one of the innumerable skills in the ivory canine's repertoire. Even though Kama knew of the beagle's existence before, experiencing Peabody proved to be a whole other story.

In the days following their finally meeting face to face, the beagle treated him with the utmost kindness and respect, the same he would Keanu, never treating him like a burden or unnecessary baggage. And when they were alone...sometimes Kama wondered who the _real_ god in this house was.

Unfortunately, this also meant a battle of the egos at times.

Case in point: two days ago...

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Peabody eyed Jameson with suspicion. To his own credit, the terrier returned the look with furrowed eyebrows, unsure what line he'd crossed, if any._

_"Are you suggesting we let Sherman lower his academic standards?" the smaller dog probed in a threatening tone augmented by his crossed arms and icy glare._

_Jameson held his palms out defensively, eyebrows now contorting into a countenance full of thinly veiled irritation. Flashbacks of their argument from the day before Peabody's last day prior to his travels overseas replayed in his mind. He hated when PB got like this._

_"I'm just saying to lighten up on the kid. So he got a B+ on his test. That doesn't mean the end of the world." Keanu should have known this conversation would take a sour turn the instant Peabody's lips twisted into a grimace, the kind where you're torn between admitting someone has made a valid point and refusing to resemble the loser of an argument._

_"You fail to understand the implications of this. Sherman has high expectations he must meet as our son; how can he hope to gain any hold in this world otherwise?"_

_Ire echoed in the back of Keanu's mind. He could feel Kama getting riled up from the conflict; it had been a long time since the pig spirit partook in a fight. For a moment, the terrier considered letting him take over, add some bite to his side. Perhaps Peabody would listen more readily—no. Keanu could already see it, already picture Kama making him blurt out something hurtful. Something the deity would mistakenly believe would help but ultimately only deepen the cracks._

_In an effort to keep calm, the terrier took a deep steady breath. "Hector..."_

_"I'm talking, Jameson," the snowy beagle snappily retorted. So lost in his need for control, he disregarded the tension now present in his mate's body. "Don't you recall what _I _endured just to get where I am? The pains I had to go through to be acknowledged as something other than—"_

_That tore it! Keanu got up close and personal, struggling in vain to keep his gleaming teeth hidden. Already spiked at being treated like a child, his frustration only grew at Peabody's lack of reaction. In fact (and even worse), the beagle matched him glare for glare, refusing to be intimidated in his own household._

_Only one mistake: he forgot who else this household belonged to. And that someone else intended to remind him in full. _

_Teeth started to grind as Keanu slowly shook his head in disbelief, not sure whether to feel hurt or disgust. "You self-righteous bastard," he began slowly at first, "_You _think I don't know jack _shit _about what you're talking about? I WAS THERE FOR OVER HALF OF IT, YOU IDIOT!" Keanu angled his head in mockery. Peabody's words hit too close to home and that was enough to make him forsake his vow to keep Kama contained. _

_"Jameson, do _not _raise your voice at—"_

_"And another thing: _don't _talk as if I've got no say on Sherman's well-being. I'm his dad, too."_

_Despite himself, Peabody bit back the urge to recall their lack of marriage. He refused to sound like Grunion. "This is not about you!"_

_"Nope, you're absolutely freaking right! It's about _you_!"_

_"Jameson, will you stop interrupting and listen to—"_

_"No, you've had plenty of time to talk. I was willing to lay back and let you handle things because I thought Sherman would be okay with you. Boy, was I wrong! Now it's _my_ turn to set the rules—that is, if your head ain't too high up in the stars to pay any damn attention to what's happening down here. Me stuck in the mental ward is no green light for you to mold everything the way you want!"_

_"DO YOU THINK I HAVE ANY CHOICE?! WITH ALL THE MISTAKES YOU MADE BEFORE SHERMAN, HOW ELSE CAN I MAKE SURE THIS FAMILY DOESN'T GO UP IN FLAMES!?"_

_Heavy silence. A silence 0.56 seconds into which Peabody, anger fading into horror, registered the implications of his words too late. The proof lay in Keanu's (Kama's?) alarmingly teary eyes and the simultaneous curling of his fists, as if the terrier prepared to strike the other dog any second._

_Peabody's lips trembled. He reached his hands out in hesitation. "Keanu, please understand. That's not what I—"_

_No verbal response. Keanu merely turned and walked out the front door, closing it with a surprising softness that somehow killed Peabody more than any amount of slamming or ranting would have._

_The beagle sagged in regret, his pride reduced to dust._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Present-day Jameson bit his bottom lip in guilt. While he had every right to be upset with the other dog for his insensitive words, nothing could excuse the way he handled the situation.

He was not alone in that concern.

_I'm sorry I exacerbated the situation. I only wanted to help._

A deep sigh flowed past Keanu's lips. _'I know you did. You care about Sherman, too. Everybody made bad choices that day, buddy.' _The terrier managed a halfhearted smile as he removed his hand from the door and resumed his journey to the WABAC. _'At least we managed to patch things up with Peabody.' _

_You mean _he _patched things up with us, right?_

Keanu chuckled, shaking his head knowingly. It did not escape him how much his mate influenced him. _'Either way, I didn't hear any complaints from _your _end when we made up with PB. Now c'mon, let's not keep the fam waiting, 'kay?'_

_We're kind of beat to the punch there._

The terrier's face twisted in confusion. _'What do you mean?'_

"Ah, Keanu, Kama, there you two are." Well speak of the sinful beauty. Keanu and Kama's smile joined together at the other dog standing just before them in the server's entryway, hands behind his back per usual. "I was just about to send for you. The WABAC has been calibrated and prepared for our latest excursion; Sherman is in the back awaiting us as we speak."

Keanu set his hands akimbo. "Kind of you. So no hints on where we're going this time? No pun intended, by the way."

A charming twinkle in Peabody's eyes reduced both terrier and pig spirit to mush inside, the effect completing itself when the beagle nuzzled the terrier's nose. "Patience, loves. You shall see soon enough."

A roll of his eyes and smack of his gums comprised Keanu's reaction as he and Peabody walked down the futuristic neon pathway. That PB, always teasing. Out of his peripherals, however, the terrier noticed the beagle's eyes adopt a pensive light, even while the rest of the smaller dog's body insinuated nothing. "Penny for you thoughts, PB?"

Peabody paused in his steps, his companion following suit. For the space of a moment, it seemed the prodigy would simply resume his walk...until his eyelids pinched shut. Keanu did not need to see the misty sheen to know. Before the terrier could ask what was wrong, Peabody slowly pivoted on his heel so the two of them were face to face. "You were right when days ago you said you have say on Sherman's well-being. I'm so accustomed to being the one in control, of the position of spearheading every effort. Even during the incident with Hendrix, I kept insisting on following _my_ plan. It would have succeeded, mind you, but yours and Penny's worked just as well," Peabody pursed his lips, "unorthodox as it was."

Keanu smiled; Peabody returned it back, albeit somewhat awkwardly, before his face grew apologetic once more. "Your absence _is_ no excuse to disregard your words. I _do_ heap ungodly burden on Sherman's shoulders sometimes when it comes to education. I wrongly assume him to follow in my footsteps and match my accomplishments. He and I are not the same. He is amazing in his own way and will bring about great things his own way as well. Sherman must learn to reach his own full potential, not mine."

Wow. Just...wow.

Words failed Keanu at this point...and even then Peabody wasn't halfway through yet. "That's another issue. I've done the same with you." At his mate's look of confusion, the beagle gave a shamed grin and cradled the terrier's head like a basketball, "Every time I steal a glance at you, you either daydream or gaze into space with this sad longing."

At hearing this, Keanu furrowed his thick dark-grey eyebrows. _'Wait, the daydreaming, I can imagine, but have I really been doing that second thing?'_

An affirmative grunt echoed in his head. _You have. Can't blame you. Those meetings drive me to tears sometimes, too._

Back in reality, Peabody continued. "For that reason, I've been researching local art studios and believe I've found a few more than willing to accept you. The choice is yours, of course. I only hope you're happy with your choice."

Keanu gingerly removed the tiny hands from his face, determined eyes piercing in their comprehension. "You're serious."

"When am I not?"

True. In which case, Keanu stood straighter than before and faced the white dog firmly. When he spoke, his voice heralded only certainty, "Then I happily decline."

Kama stuttered the same time Peabody's eyes went wide in shock, the beagle almost taking a step back as if reeling from a physical blow. "What? Keanu, I'm not sure you fully understand—"

A nuzzle into the forehead silenced the genius. "I fully understand, so thanks but no thanks. I'm staying with you." Grabbing the beagle who attempted to protest by the waist, Keanu initiated a short yet sweet kiss full of only love and desire. Naturally Peabody flinched at the contact for only a second before easing into the affection. The moment ended too soon. Once they parted, the terrier giggled at his mate's gobsmacked expression.

'_I love it when I take him off guard like this,_' Keanu playfully stroked the styled tufts atop Peabody's head. "You keep me sane and I keep you from shooting off into space. Besides, I didn't get that CIS Bachelor's degree for nothing. But you wanna know my biggest reason?"

At Peabody's numb yet interested nod, the canine islander warmly chuckled. "You're there with me. There are so many things I still have to learn, things I want to know." Keanu leaned in, their lips nearly touching again. "My curiosity needs more and only you can satisfy it."

Two chests touched, the hearts within beating as one.

"Please teach me, Hector. Teach me everything."

"Yes, everything," Peabody exhaled wantonly, eyes closed as their tails wagged together in bliss. _'And once my plan succeeds, I'll secure that reality for good.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The Hanging Gardens.

One of the Wonders of the Ancient World. In the present, nothing more than vine-ridden ruins. At this point of the past, a place of indescribable splendor. Numerous species of plants, both native and exotic, flooded the palace, the greenery and colors vivid from the beaming sun and constant watering.

Donned in dark crimson and white Babylonian robes like the rest of his family, Keanu lounged against one of the copious palm trees that lined the azure-golden terraced walls, watching Sherman and Peabody who were currently in a discussion/lesson over the various plants and their characteristics. Normally Keanu would have joined in, but the beagle insisted he stand aside for some reason. For a brief second, the terrier worried that PB still smarted from the argument over Sherman's education. This suspicion died out when he caught the other dog sneaking furtive glances at him whenever Sherman's attention was elsewhere.

Kama was right; that dog was up to something. Only question was what.

Keanu perked at a spindly arm wrapping around his rotund waist when he had been looking the other way.

"Enjoying yourself, love?" inquired Peabody, voice indulgent in tone.

The terrier faced the smaller dog with a half-grin. "Standing around in a future relic looking around at gorgeous flowers: sounds boring in theory yet relaxing in practice."

"I am glad your mood is positive. I trust Kama feels somewhat at home."

Keanu snorted. "Well there's water and palm trees. That's kinda close, so yeah I don't think the big guy's got any reason to complain."

_Speak for yourself. This place is nice, but I still wanna know what this little dork's hiding! All this suspense is killing me!_

_'You and me both,'_ the ebony canine caressed Peabody's back, smirking at the excited wagging it brought about in the beagle's puffy tail. Something told him Peabody meant for him to see that. "If you've got anything that could make this experience better, I'm all ears."

This time Peabody did not hold back the excited glimmer in his eyes and smile. "I was hoping you'd say that. I needed the appropriate opening, after all."

"Opening? For what?"

"For this." A hot brief kiss passed under the grapevines. Peabody stepped back, taking a moment to take in how beautiful Keanu looked with puckered lips and closed eyes, and then lowered to one knee and pulled out a box from his robes, which he opened to reveal a simple golden ring.

Keanu and Sherman looked on in total shock, both at an utter loss for words. Kama had no words for this, either.

"Mr. Peabody...," Sherman breathed in amazement. This was it. This was _really_ it.

"Wh...What...," the terrier stuttered. His brain needed time to come back online.

"I apologize for the suddenness of this," Peabody's eyes crinkled in sympathy, beginning to withdraw the box and its content. "To both of you actually. If you'd rather wait, I'll understand."

"No! No, you just surprised us—me." Keanu felt some weird tension he hadn't even been aware of flood out of his body. "You just surprised _me. _I... I know I'm not perfect, I know I mess up a lot, but I'll try my hardest to be the best I can be for you guys."

Peabody scoffed. "Perfection is a fool's dream. Even_ I_ am not capable of it."

He held up a hand to cut off Sherman and Keanu's rightful protests before they even opened their mouths. "I know that is hard to believe from someone like me; the fact of the matter is that the three of us were brought together by circumstances beyond our control—by fate, by accident, you name it—but we chose to be a family. It is only fair we make that choice official completely."

He put a hand on Keanu's shoulder. "And you've already proven you'd go to any lengths for us. While I considered this the moment you were released from the hospital, both this experience and my memories of the WABAC incident have opened my eyes to life's frailty."

Emerald eyes turned downcast for a moment; the voice of their owner softened. "It is so easy to lose track of what's precious. Some problems never truly disappear. All we can do is live with them," said eyes regained contact with the beautiful soul before them, "a burden I will gladly accept as long as it means having you by my side."

Peabody glanced over his shoulder at their son. "And of course, you as well, Sherman." He extended a welcoming hand towards the boy. 'Smile' was too small a word to properly describe the way Sherman's face lit up nor the exuberance as the child tackled both his fathers in a bone-crushing hug.

The canine couple would have toppled over if not for Keanu, not that Sherman possessed that much strength to begin with. All the same, Peabody asked the boy to lighten up his hold, just to be safe.

So there they stood in the bleeding orange sunset—three kindred spirits united in love and strengthened by their hardships. Whether they stood together or alone, whatever came their way did not stand a chance.

Here came a perfect example.

"WHERE IS THAT CUR?!"

Everyone's heads jerked down the hall from which the incensed shout sprang.

Peabody eyed Jameson with a dry, unsurprised glare. "You absconded with Sennacherib's grapes, didn't you?" The unabashed grin said everything. As did the nervous 'umm' and thumb-twiddling from Sherman.

Facepalm: the perfect reaction a genius could give.

_'Only this family.'_


	15. As One

**Well, guys, this is it: the last chapter. It's been fun and it's been a heck of a ride. As crazy as this story drove me, I enjoyed the challenge of writing this. It felt good to add my own two cents to the universe of this amazing movie.**

**Rest assured, though. This won't be the last you see of Keanu, or the others for that matter. Be sure to check out the sequel oneshot "A Hui Hou" afterwards!**

**Save for whomever and whatever I came up with myself, I own none of the characters or elements in this story, which belong to DreamWorks Animation and Ted Key and Jay Ward. **

* * *

_'Unbelievable. Incredibly, improbably, and in-amazingly unbelievable.'_

Seated in a red plastic chair just outside the company cafeteria-turned-ballroom, Keanu sighed as he admired the golden band on his left pointer finger, the shining color heavily contrasting against the black slacks. The hand it belonged to tightened into a loose fist, pivoting until the fingers were visible.

Finally.

After all these years, all those trials, tears and arguments and hopes, coalesced into one singularity by a single kiss, an event horizon beyond which neither one wished to return.

The recent wedding had been small and private yet beautiful; PB and J preferred that. They couldn't care less how much of the world knew. However, as with famed figures like Peabody, someone uninvited inevitably found out. Paparazzi proved merciless the moment the couple returned to Peabody Industries, where the wedding would take place, from the tailors; the naysayers even more.

It made no difference in Peabody's eyes.

_'My dear Jameson,' _the beagle assured his concerned partner after their successful evasion of the angry protestors and clingy reporters outside (Patty and Paul turned out to be surprisingly effective bodyguards), _'I am one of the most powerful figures in the world, an economic titan, well-renowned philanthropist, someone on par with numerous world leaders, and above all devastatingly handsome genius.'_

Keanu smiled at the memory of the next answer and the loving smirk that accompanied it: _'Besides, you'd punt anyone looking at me the wrong way straight to the Andromeda Galaxy.'_

_'No lie there,' _mused the Hawaiian, snickering. Yeah, let's just say those nosey Parkers and busybodies 'vanished in a flash' after a well-executed Death Glare. Mr. Jameson was friendly, not a pushover; let those losers make a spectacle out of someone else's matrimony.

Plus, a wedding isn't complete without a few guests: Penny and her parents; Keanu's uncle; the few of Keanu's family that accepted the midnight canine; Ms. Richie; a few of their friends from back in history: Leonardo, Jimi, Washington, just to name a few. Even Pearl.

Keanu tilted his gaze upward, seemingly into space. _'You've been quiet lately. Something on your mind, Kama?'_

Mental grunting ensued except there lay a hint of nervousness. _It's been a while since I was last married. It's going to take me a while to adjust._

_'Hey, I believe you, buddy. Remember: we're in real good hands. Peabody wouldn't have gone through with this if he thought marrying us would be a bad idea.' _And considering someone as prolific and charming as Peabody had enough suitors to put a deity to shame, Keanu's words went quite far.

A hum of agreement met his assurance. _True. For all it's worth, I'm glad you said yes. He's given us so much when he never had to. He's been so accepting and open._ There was no mistaking the smile in Kama's voice. _ I feel safe around him._

At this admittance, Keanu chuckled under his breath. _'Yeah, he's got that effect. In all fairness, though, he feels the same way around us. Little nerd's just too proud to admit it.'_

A pleasant shiver ascended Keanu's back when a smaller hand stroked his back, the terrier not bothering to hold back the delicious moan slipping past his lips. As usual, Peabody played him like a drum.

"Are you alright?" asked the beagle in a soft tone, "We're set to return home with Sherman in five minutes."

_'Oh yeah, almost forgot.' _Keanu faced Peabody with a bashful smile; he rubbed the back of his furry head. "Me and Kama were just discussin' some things."

Peabody angled his head, his eyes glimmering with interest. As far as the beagle knew, Kama had been rather quiet during the ceremony. As usual, his suspicions proved correct. "Feel like talking about it?"

_'Woo boy, Dr. Peabody's in the house,'_ Keanu quipped, shaking his head with a smirk. "Just thinking about Pearl. Kama feels like she was holding back something when we talked to her." Not that the young woman looked sad or upset; on the contrary, she seemed rather content and at peace during her discussion with the newlywed couple. "Maybe that's why we didn't hear from the big guy throughout the whole shebang."

A thoughtful hum constituted Peabody's response, one arm across his stomach and the other elbowed on top of it, stroking his chin. His husband made valid points. And judging by the knowing light in those beautiful tangerine eyes, the prodigy could tell Kama agreed. The beagle took the seat next to his spouse, patient and expectant for the terrier to continue.

A shot of concern flashed in Keanu's eyes. Deep breath to regain his focus, he placed his left hand over Peabody's right. Both rings gleamed even stronger. That, Keanu decided to take as a good sign; he ran a hand over his head fur. "He's nervous. About the future, I mean. He trusts you, told me so himself, it's just—"

Words cut off at a soft paw stroking against his jawline, caressing the scruffy fur running down the length. For one everlasting moment, orange and green remained locked. Until at last, the beagle let out a light twitter at the other dog's taken back expression.

"Pardon my intrusion. Sometimes I wonder if this experience has been one lucid dream. Gods, past lives, shapeshifting," Peabody could only wag his head in wonder and a bit of amusement, not that Keanu could blame him. "Perhaps that is what Kama feels as well. For all his trials, he struggles to believe anyone could live with someone like him, someone so supposedly horrid and unrepentant."

Empathy took reign over the genius's countenance. "He is indeed no angel; he is also more than some mindless brute." His head slanted in significance. "Keanu, the two of you truly are one and the same: a loving spirit of carpe diem buried amidst years of anguish and loneliness, one who deserves to feel cherished and accepted."

Keanu knew where Peabody was going with this and appreciated the effort. Taking both of the other dog's hands in a gentle grip, he placed them over his heart, trying his hardest to get the message through to his mate: every time the Hawaiian put someone else before himself—the date, the job and choice to keep it, and especially the drive to return home...

All accounted to a simple desire to live in peace.

Another presence wrapped around his as if in embrace. _Can't promise the self-loathing will just go away, buddy. It might fade out and in, might come to a point sometimes we'll get sent back. Doesn't mean we hafta be victims of ourselves. This is our mind. No matter how screwed up our moods become, we think for ourselves._

Breathes quickened. Ebony hands drifted to a chubby waist. Snow-white fingers traced broad shoulders. On pure instinct, their faces slowly drifted closer together, no words necessary for the message reflected by lidded eyes and arching tongues.

At the precipice of contact came two earth-shattering words.

_It's time._

Inwardly Keanu marveled how he did not tear away from Peabody's gaze_. 'So this is what Pearl was hinting at. Doesn't that mean you—'_

_I'm you. You're me. Now forget the past. Kiss him. Start the life you want._

One final inch forward.

_'Kama.'_

Lips met.

_'Thank you.'_

Desperation, relief, fear, courage, denial, acceptance...neither dog chose to bother himself with counting. Hard for either to tell if they were even themselves anymore. Every sense belonged to each other, one in the same.

Once they. Now I. Alone for nevermore.

In the back of his mind, Keanu reached once last time to his other half, part of him already aware of what's to come. Just as he expected, Kama's voice no longer called back. A twinge of sadness tainted his paradise regardless, only to wash away at the fingers massaging deep into his back, reminding the islander of the sun bursting through the clouds.

Muffled gasps heralded the lack of oxygen, forcing the pair to part, their breathing heavy yet full of untold joy, forest and sun reflected in their warmth. They alone existed as the rest of the world dissipated from their minds for now, they _were _the world.

"You and I," Peabody's voice went beyond silk and sin. "Fate has made us fall in love. It is true, that I have found someone like you."

"Then let us sit in crimson and rust," the terrier softly entreated as the evening sun bled blood orange through the windows, its hue spilling upon the couple and swallowing their own colors to the point they appeared to be one being, "until we become dust and ascend to the top of night."

Two tails wagged in content unison as their owners embraced each other with all their strength.

In his mind's eye, Keanu could effortlessly picture their honeymoon/family trip, the beach and air and sun and water, the sunrise wiping away the last bit of sleep from any who watched from the comfort of the sandy coast. And the best part: the three of them still together after the light faded out of view—no hospitals, no paradoxes, and no disgruntled social workers to separate them anymore.

Time, Space, and their precious Earth...

Whom of which managed to grab both dogs from behind with a spirited tackle.

Peabody yelped at being sandwiched between his husband's tubby torso and son's wiry frame. Before he could reprimand the boy's behavior, even stronger arms pinioned them both, the beagle's head buried into a beefy chest while Sherman's bright red mane cushioned the back of the dog's head.

_'Oh why bother fighting it?' _

So huffing in content resignation, the world's smartest being settled himself into the group hug.

All his puppyhood wishes had come true at last.


End file.
